When the moment is right Tommy Freeman still loves performing the magic card tricks he first learned at school in Suffolk.
Card tricks are not the only sleight of hand the Northampton Saints flyer will hope to show as the opening Six Nations contest against Ireland looms.
It is always fun finding fresh “victims” and on the Eurostar back from an away game in Paris this month it was the turn of Northampton’s young scrum-half Archie McParland to be left open-mouthed by his teammate’s sleight of hand.
He was in his first year in Northampton’s academy, already trying to cope with the extra stresses involved, when he suffered a serious epileptic seizure following a night out.
His club coach, Sam Vesty, long ago spotted him as the type of player who makes most impact when he backs his instincts.
