#2. Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers)
- Age: 21
- Position: Fullback
Greenwood wrote: “Not often a kid so young and with so few caps is close to the first name down on the team sheet. I may have a few disgruntled readers about certain elements of my selection but I suspect it is a slam dunk with Steward.
“Total control of the skies creates calm. Hugely critical to send that message to the team. Allows players to focus on their own jobs, stay in shape. Not worried about what may happen.
“Steward kills those thoughts stone dead. No need for daft blocking lines that concede pens as Steward doesn’t need that sort of help; his leap and coordination are so clean.
“A real attacking threat going forward by eating up the ground with a giant stride length. Tough and not inconsiderable bulk to muscle over from close range either. Always nice to build from the back. This lad is here to stay.”
Fast Freddie Steward Facts:
- He moved positions many times throughout his rugby career, telling Rugby World: “I started at fly-half, then inside-centre. Then at 15 I moved to full-back; the academy coaches thought it would be a good idea to see how I went there.
- Steward is studying for an economics degree at Loughborough University
- Steward listens to 1980s music before a game to calm himself down.