The Saints back line for their Prem play-off victory against Leicester last Friday was a roll call of some of the league’s best-known names. Archie McParland, the young upstart at scrum-half; Fin Smith, Tommy Freeman and George Furbank, England Test stars; George Hendy, the hot-stepping wing; and Rory Hutchinson, the silkiest of centres criminally underused by Scotland.
The final soldier in the Saints battalion was Tom Litchfield, arguably the least known before kick-off. But by full time the centre, who has also played on the wing for Northampton, had written himself into East Midlands derby and Prem play-off folklore. A first-half hat-trick for Litchfield as Phil Dowson’s side reached their second Allianz Stadium showpiece in three years.
In the build-up to the victory over Leicester, Litchfield had been named as Northampton’s players’ player of the season but his selection at 13 was by no means a foregone conclusion. Such is the 24-year-old’s form, however, that Dowson resisted the temptation to start Freeman at outside centre, where he has found a new home for England, or to start Fraser Dingwall alongside Hutchinson.
After the victory, Northampton’s director of rugby described the uncapped, Bedford-born Litchfield as the “form horse” in the selection race. Certainly, a stockier build of 6ft 1in and 100kg, plus his ability to break tackles makes him the perfect foil for whoever plays at 12, whether Hutchinson or Dingwall. In his youth, Litchfield was in the top 10 in his age group nationwide for the shot and hammer and the word at Northampton is that he never uses a driver on the golf course but can hit a five iron about 250 yards. Undoubtedly, Litchfield brings punch to the Saints midfield.
But, as Jim Telfer said, being picked is the easy bit; winning is the ultimate.
Litchfield more than justified his selection with his trio of tries as he showcased his ability to balance power and panache. The super-strength of Litchfield might be the timing when using his sturdiness to attack the line, but he is someone who buys into Saints’ obsession with putting the ball swiftly into space, too. Steve Borthwick names his England squad for this summer next Monday and the head coach could do far worse than include Litchfield in a position where, almost by his own admission with the transition of Freeman, there are not a plethora of options.
“Litch has been a pleasure to work with,” said Sam Vesty, Northampton’s head coach. “He came through the academy and physically was always a big lad but didn’t quite know how to get himself on to the ball. Didn’t quite know how to use his size. Over the years he has just worked it out and fine-tuned his game to work with the likes of Fin, Hutch and Dingers. He is a very threatening individual. There’s a great combo in there. Litch gives us that bigger, physical option.”
Describing this as Litchfield’s breakout season would be doing him a disservice. On one of Northampton’s most famous days under Dowson and Vesty, the Champions Cup semi-final victory against Leinster in Dublin last season, Litchfield started on the wing and excelled in a famous win.
Mark Hopley, in charge of Northampton’s fabulous academy – around 14 of this Saturday’s 23 for the Prem final will have come through it – first met Litchfield when he was 15. The centre came to the Saints from Bedford Junior Blues while also excelling for Samuel Whitbread Academy, a strong rugby state school in Bedfordshire. He began his career, like his father and brother, at Biggleswade RFC.
After a successful stint in the academy, Litchfield had a season for Bedford in the Champ and did not look back.
“Litchy has been going about his business quietly since he was a young lad, really,” said Hopley. “But he had something physically which was different to the other boys. Litchy had a power game, in terms of his carrying, which is his super-strength now, along with offloading in the collision.
“Litchy has always had a well-developed lower body. He is quite a shy character naturally and the biggest thing for him over the past couple of years has been believing that he was good enough, finding that self-confidence. When he plays now, he looks like he belongs, looks really comfortable. He might not be the loudest but he’s definitely a big character and well respected. He adds in a different way to Henry Pollock, for example.”
Litchfield was overlooked by England at age-grade level until under-20s but, even then, by Hopley’s admission, he was never a banker or a “bolt-on starter” despite making 10 appearances. That year at Bedford in the Champ transformed him; as it does for so many young players.
“I wouldn’t say he looked a cut above at 15 but he always looked like he had potential,” added Hopley. “He is quite naturally... not shy, because he does come out of his shell, but when he was younger he never would have been your out-and-out standout. But, what he has done is invest in his skill-set over a long period of time to make himself a more rounded player. That takes time. He’s been super-professional and that’s why he’s getting the plaudits. Getting meaningful game time with our partner, Bedford Blues, is what transformed him; making that Champ shirt his own.
“Litchy is someone who might not have been on people’s radars but he’s played in some big games and he grows every time he does. He has been through that transition from a young boy and he has grown into a man. The sky is the limit with him whether he is picked in this [England] squad or not. It’s testament to him that people in this environment [at Northampton] would not be surprised, just because of how much he’s grown.”
Another step on that growth journey will take place this Saturday in the Prem final against Exeter. After that, who knows, but Litchfield could not have given himself a better chance at further, future honours.