Freeman centre stage, wizard Williams & Smith pain - Prem talking points

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption,

Tomos Williams, Tommy Freeman and Marcus Smith went through contrasting emotions as the regular season reached its halfway point

By

BBC Sport rugby union news reporter

Tommy Freeman has not started a Northampton game at outside centre for more than a year.

He will probably not have to wait as long for his next midfield outing.

England coach Steve Borthwick has been keen to deploy Freeman, more usually a wing, at 13, making use of the 24-year-old's bulk, brain and speed. Freeman himself is keen on the shift inside.

Both will likely use his hat-trick against Bath to twist Saints coach Phil Dowson's arm into more opportunities.

Opposite Ollie Lawrence, England's current first-choice 13, Freeman shone.

His first try came inside three minutes via a scalpel-sharp running line. His second was a show-go-and-spurt that did for Joe Cokanasiga amid heavy traffic. For his third, he ghosted outside Cokanasiga, fixed Santi Carreras and dived over.

With Bristol's Benhard Janse van Rensburg and Sale-bound Joe Marchant becoming available to England next year, Fraser Dingwall, Seb Atkinson and Max Ojomoh having breakout Test performances in 2025 and Elliot Daly and Henry Slade bringing experience and class, what was once a weak spot in England's depth chart suddenly looks well furnished.

Lawrence's miserable evening ended with him spilling forward with the tryline at his feet and then narrowly missing a Northampton fan's face as he booted the ball away in frustration.

Saints, missing half-backs Alex Mitchell and Fin Smith among a host of other rested first-choice stars, were magnificent.

Archie McParland buzzed around waspishly at nine, while Callum Chick was everywhere in the back row.

Their celebrations were similarly biting. After seeing three tries ruled out by the television match official, Freeman and Henry Pollock both celebrated undeniable scores by motioning for a video review.

Inflicting champions Bath's first home league defeat in 14 months will keep fans glued to their screens at least.

Sandy Park sell-out as Devon revolution rolls on

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption,

Fisilau, 22, started at number eight in England A's two fixtures in November

A year ago, Exeter were second from bottom of the table, with just one win from nine matches.

This season's renaissance continued apace at a sold-out Sandy Park as the Chiefs saw off Leicester 24-10 to move up to second.

But for a needless first-half push by Will Rigg and some slippy late handling from Campbell Ridl and Will Goodrick-Clarke, the Chiefs could easily have had a four-try bonus point and the end-of-year top spot.

Greg Fisilau, full of energy and endeavour, ate up metres in the back row and, at this rate, is pushing hard for a return to England contention after last meeting up with the senior squad in October 2024.

Before the season started, Harvey Skinner, also Devon-born, was picked out by some observers as the weak point in an exciting Exeter backline.

However the 28-year-old has missed only three minutes of the Prem so far this season and was again instrumental, pulling strings, tweaking noses and finding holes.

The Chiefs' bandwagon rolls on to The Rec next Saturday, when they will attempt to follow Northampton's lead in sacking defending champions Bath.

Red Bulls gather momentum and a point

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption,

Newcastle were bought by energy drink giant Red Bull in the summer

That sound of hooves isn't retreating reindeer, but advancing Red Bulls.

Newcastle claimed the first point of their 2025-26 campaign, scoring four tries in a 36-27 defeat by Bristol at Ashton Gate.

The visitors jumped out into a 10-point lead, were 17-12 up at the break and trailed by only two on the hour.

New attack coach Stephen Jones has brought more pace and shape to their play since his December arrival.

And, while Newcastle confirmed next season's signing of former All Black Hoskins Sotutu, for now it is some of their home-nurtured talent shining in the new era.

Wing Oli Spencer, 21, scored two superb tries, while in-form back row Ollie Leatherbarrow might yet be of interest to Gregor Townsend, an advisor to Red Bull, in his day-to-day post as Scotland head coach.

Ninth-placed Gloucester head to Kingston Park next Friday night. Could they become Newcastle's first Prem win in more than a year?

Williams' slick hands play into Saracens plans

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption,

Williams athleticism and accuracy was in vain as Gloucester sank to a seventh defeat in eight matches in the league so far this season

If you haven't seen it yet, search it out.

Gloucester scrum-half Tomos Williams perhaps hasn't reached the heights he managed last season but his off-load to set up Arthur Clark for a try in the Cherry and Whites' 30-21 defeat by Saracens was pure off-the-cuff brilliance.

After weaving outside opposite number Ivan van Zyl, Williams seemed destined for touch as wing Max Malins covered across, but the 30-year-old leapt into the air, feinting to offload low, before instead rolling a delicious one-hand basketball pass over the top to Clark.

It was difficult to say Kingsholm enjoyed the score though.

On Christmas Day, Saracens had announced that Williams, who is joint top of the Prem's try assist standings on five, will be playing for them instead next season.

After the final whistle, the visitors' social media team, leaning into their pantomime villain status, posted a picture of Williams sharing a joke with fellow British and Irish Lion Jamie George.

"We bagged ourselves a goodun. See you soon, Tomos," read the caption., external

Smith and Quins face more pain after Sale fail

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption,

Harlequins coach Jason Gilmore conceded that any hopes of the making the Prem play-offs are over after defeat away to Sale

The first three minutes went pretty well for Marcus Smith.

A smart pass sent Luke Northmore cantering into Sale territory, a perfectly weighted cross-field kick found Rodrigo Isgro on the opposite wing and a fine piece of opportunism secured him the game's first try.

His face after 80 minutes told a different story.

Battered, bruised and well beaten, Smith had coughed up a horrendous blooper for Sale's sixth try, failing to gather a routine backfield ball to allow a chasing Raffi Quirke to dot down.

Smith had taken a bang to the head a few minutes before, bravely throwing himself into the path of a stampeding Nathan Jibulu.

There was plenty of similar tackles to make as Sale scored 31 unanswered second-half points.

Smith is contracted to Harlequins until 2028, but the team will shift around him.

"There is no silver bullet to it, it is more medium to long term what we need to look at with our squad," said coach Jason Gilmore after a sixth defeat in eight league games.

"What we have got with the squad, we need to look at. We have got some choices to make over the six months on recruitment and retainment. We need people who want to fight."

After rising so far, so fast, so young, Smith faces possibly the most testing season of his career as he battles on both club and country fronts.