“Things can change so quick” - Freddie Steward’s Calcutta Cup redemption

Once undroppable under Steve Borthwick, the Leicester Tigers full-back was then dropped altogether ahead of 2024's meeting with Scotland, before rebuilding his game and confidence to now look close to undroppable once more. His expected presence against Scotland completes a redemption arc shaped by patience, reflection and form.

England enter the match on a high. Having sealed a dramatic victory through a late Fin Smith penalty in last year’s competition, they will hope to retain the Calcutta Cup and build momentum before a defining encounter with Ireland the following week. A thumping 48-7 win over Wales at Allianz Stadium has extended their winning run to 12, yet Scotland remain awkward opponents. England have won just two of the last eight meetings, with their most recent Murrayfield success coming back in 2020.

For Steward, Scotland also represent the scene of one of the toughest moments of his international career. After starting the opening two rounds of the 2024 Six Nations and impressing in victories over Italy and Wales, he was completely omitted from the matchday 23 for the Calcutta Cup. George Furbank was preferred at full-back as Borthwick showed a willingness to make big calls, echoing his decision to drop Steward for the 2023 World Cup quarter-final against Fiji.

What followed was a prolonged spell on the fringes. Although he remained in England squads, Steward was largely limited to sporadic appearances going through to 2025, often covering injuries as England leaned towards ball-playing options such as Furbank and the converted Marcus Smith. For a player who had claimed back-to-back England Player of the Year awards, it was a jarring shift.

“It’s so weird. I can’t remember who I was speaking to the other day about it but in rugby, things can change so quick,” Steward reflected.

“You can be right down at the bottom very quick and you come right back to the top very quick. For me, I talked about consistency earlier, trying to be consistent with how I am the whole time. I look back and it’s been a rollercoaster, the emotions, the experience, before being at the top and then obviously not playing for a long time.”

Rather than forcing his way back, Steward stepped away to rebuild and the 25-year-old was rewarded with a couple of starting appearances in the 2025 tour of Argentina, which he impressed in. “But it gives you, when something gets taken away from you, you get that extra bit of hunger and that extra bit of drive,” he said.

“The last year, two years has been an opportunity for me to go away, work on myself, get better and not try and force my way back in… Just play my game, do hard work at Tigers and let that do the talking, basically.”

That journey played out publicly through the Six Nations Netflix documentary, something Steward admits was difficult. “Yeah, very public. I think that was probably the first time in my career I’d experienced something on that level, a negative on that level so it was really tough,” he said. “I was relatively young then still and I probably victimised myself and blamed everything but me.”

Key to his recovery was support from family and psychologist David Priestley. “Family, they’re my rock, but then David… he’s great for me, and is someone I can pour my heart out to if I need to.”

The shift in mindset proved crucial. “Pretty much that, reframing it, taking it as an opportunity,” Steward explained. “Then also looking forward to getting that shirt again… That gave me a purpose.”

Asked if being dropped ultimately helped him, Steward did not hesitate. “100 per cent,” he said. “I’m definitely a better rugby player, a better person, because of that… I’m in a strong position now because it did.”

As England prepare to face a wounded Scotland side and as Gregor Townsend marks his 100th Test in charge, Steward’s return would be another reminder of how quickly fortunes can turn. This time, he arrives battle-hardened and hungry to stay.