Freddie Stevens

Tenacity at the breakdown is the defining feature of Freddie Stevens' game. A Welsh-qualified openside flanker on the books at Gloucester Rugby, Stevens has built his reputation on a relentless work rate and an instinct for disrupting opposition ball at the ruck. He competes ferociously for turnovers and provides the kind of low, busy support play that allows a team to maintain momentum in attack. Defensively he is willing and accurate, throwing himself into the tackle area and chasing kicks with an energy that lifts those around him. Stevens has emerged through the pathway as a specialist seven, a position that demands fitness, bravery and split-second decision-making, all of which he brings in abundance. At Gloucester he offers genuine competition for a back-row jersey and a clear sense of how the modern openside should operate. Still building his senior portfolio, Stevens has the appetite for the unglamorous work that earns the trust of coaches and team-mates alike, and he profiles as a player capable of growing into a regular contributor.