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Freddie Steward hopes Leicester Tigers success can earn him England recall

The 25-year-old was unceremoniously subbed off in the first half of Englands humiliating 42-21 defeat at home to Ireland in the Guinness mens Six Nations.

[Freddie Steward of England runs with the ball during the Guinness Six Nations 2025 match against Ireland]

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Freddie Steward of England runs with the ball during the Guinness Six Nations 2025 match against Ireland(Image: Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Freddie Steward hasnt given up on an immediate England recall and believes helping Leicester Tigers to success this summer is the perfect response to being dropped. The 25-year-old was unceremoniously subbed off in the first half of Englands humiliating 42-21 defeat at home to Ireland in the Guinness mens Six Nations.

Steve Borthwick then decided not to use Steward in the two remaining games against Italy and France. It was a tough call on the fullback who had been the England head coachs first-choice man at 15, having started in eight of the previous 10 England internationals.

Steward now heads back to Mattioli Woods Welford Road to re-join Geoff Parlings charges who are poised in fourth in the Gallagher PREM Rugby table and buoyant after winning the PREM Rugby Cup on home soil last week. The Midlands outfit havent won the PREM title since 2022, achieved under Borthwick, but Steward thinks if he can help them repeat the feat, hell be able to catch the eye of his former club boss and earn a starting berth against South Africa in July.

Every time you go back to your club, its an opportunity to put your game on the field and to keep improving, he said. Thats how you get better and Ive got to hope that come the next campaign [the 2026 Nations Championship], it is enough to get me in the door. Tigers take on third-placed Bristol Bears on Sunday when the league resumes, and a win for either team will dramatically enhance their chances of reaching the Play-Offs come the post-season.

After missing out on the Play-Offs in 2024, Tigers roared back as they reached last seasons PREM Rugby final, narrowly losing to Bath Rugby at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham. And for Steward, Tigers aim should be to involve themselves in such games every year.

He added: Reaching at least the Play-Offs has to be the ambition for a club as big as Tigers. We want to be in those post-season games all the time and that should be the expectation. Its going to be a big push from us during the second half of the season. When you come back to a club thats in a good spot, its really exciting. Weve got some really important games coming up, such as Bristol, so theres so much to look forward to and for me to get my teeth in to.

Steward was speaking at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham during the third day of the Continental Tyres Schools Cup finals. The competitions pitted schools from all across the country against each other, aiming to increase participation.

As of March 2, the number of Age Grade players is up 6% year on year at 181,453, with a huge 14% increase in girls registrations. On the importance of the school rugby finals, Steward, who attended Norwich School, added: Its great to be here to see this occasion and the effect it is having on everyone playing. You see smiles coming off the pitch and the opportunity to play here at Allianz Stadium is a once in a lifetime thing, so its great to see.

Schools rugby is comfortably the most fun Ive ever had playing rugby in my career. You have the freedom of playing with your best mates without having to worry about life when you get older. Experiences like this are what motivates kids to play, and we need schools to help keep the game going.

The Continental Tyres Schools Cup is a vital part of the age-grade rugby landscape, with schools rugby often where players fall in love with the game for the first time. Catch all the latest highlights and updates from the competition by following @CommunityRugby.

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