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| Full name | Freddie Nicholas Overbury Steward | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | (2000-12-05)5 December 2000 (age 24) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Dereham, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 107 kg (236 lb; 16 st 12 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Norwich School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Freddie Nicholas Overbury Steward (born 5 December 2000) is an English professionalrugby union player who plays as afullback forPremiership Rugby clubLeicester Tigers and theEngland national team.[1][2]
Steward started playing rugby atSwaffham RFC, but at ten years old he moved toHolt RFC as Swaffham's age group folded. He initially played fly half, before moving to inside centre atNorwich School and settling at full back at 16.[3] Steward came through theLeicester Tigers academy.[4]
Steward made his senior debut as a replacement on 26 January 2019 in a 47–20 defeat toNorthampton Saints atFranklin's Gardens in thePremiership Rugby Cup.[5] Two weeks later Steward was back playing for Leicester's under-18 side as they won a second successive league title.[6][7]
Steward was a late call-up to the bench on 8 March 2019 to make his Premiership Rugby debut as a replacement in a 32–5 defeat toSale Sharks at theAJ Bell Stadium.[8] His first appearance at Welford Road was in aPremiership Rugby Cup on 27 September 2019 againstExeter Chiefs.[9] Steward scored his first try for Leicester in a2019-20 European Rugby Challenge Cup againstCalvisano.[10]
Steward was highlighted as one of the potential breakout players in the2019-20 Premiership Rugby season byRugbypass.[11]
He started the2022 Premiership Rugby final as Tigers beatSaracens 15–12.[12] On his first match for Leicester of the2022-23 Premiership Rugby season, Steward scored a hat-trick in the 250thEast Midlands derby as Leicester beatNorthampton 41–21.[13] On 28 September 2022, Steward extended his contract at Leicester.[14] Steward made his 100th appearance for Leicester on 11 January 2025 in aChampions Cup match againstUlster atWelford Road.
On 3 January 2020 Steward was named in theEngland under 20 squad for the 2020 Six Nations Championship.[15] Steward made his full England debut on 4 July 2021 when he started at full back against theUnited States atTwickenham.[16] He scored his first England try on 13 November 2021, after taking a pass fromMarcus Smith he rounded full-backKurtley Beale for a first half score as England beatAustralia 32–15.[17]
In May 2022 Steward was named as theRugby Players' AssociationPlayer's Young player of the year andEngland men's player of the season,[18] as well as being named in their inaugural under-23 team of the season.[19]
Steward was selected for the2022 England rugby union tour of Australia, starting at full back in all three tests as England won the series 2–1.
On 21 November 2022, Steward was named inWorld Rugby'steam of the year as the best full back.[20] On 17 May 2023, Steward was named for the second year in succession as theRugby Players' AssociationEngland men's player of the season.[21]
On 7 August 2023, Steward was named in England's squad for the2023 Rugby World Cup.[22]
Steward sometimes kicks penalties from long range.[23]
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13 November 2021 | Twickenham Stadium,London, England |  Australia | 5–3 | 32–15 | 2021 end-of-year rugby union internationals |
| 2 | 20 November 2021 | Twickenham Stadium,London, England |  South Africa | 12–3 | 27–26 | 2021 end-of-year rugby union internationals |
| 3 | 19 March 2022 | Stade de France,Saint-Denis, France |  France | 11–18 | 13–25 | 2022 Six Nations Championship |
| 4 | 16 July 2022 | Sydney Cricket Ground,Sydney, Australia | Australia | 11–10 | 21–17 | 2022 England rugby union tour of Australia |
| 5 | 12 November 2022 | Twickenham Stadium,London, England |  Japan | 8–0 | 52–13 | 2022 end-of-year rugby union internationals |
| 6 | 19 November 2022 | Twickenham Stadium,London, England |  New Zealand | 23–25 | 25–25 | 2022 end-of-year rugby union internationals |
| 7 | 11 March 2023 | Twickenham Stadium,London, England | France | 8–27 | 8–34 | 2023 Six Nations Championship |
| 8 | 17 September 2023 | Stade de Nice,Nice, France | Japan | 25–12 | 34–12 | 2023 Rugby World Cup |
as of 19 November 2023[update][24]
