England newboy Freddie Burns has admitted the catalyst for his meteoric rise from National League Cinderford to international honours at Twickenham has been mercurial New Zealander Carlos Spencer.
The 22-year-old fly half won his first England cap during the autumn’s epic 38-21 win against New Zealand and is now being widely tipped to retain his place in Stuart Lancaster’s squad for February’s RBS 6 Nations.
Burns, who spent a loan spell at Cinderford, started his career at the Bath academy before switching his allegiances to Gloucester, where he spent time with legendary All Black Spencer.
Watching the talented Spencer on the training field and absorbing all of the advice the New Zealander had to offer helped to mould Burns’ attacking instincts.
And as the Gloucester No.10 looks to catch the eye of Lancaster over the festive period and hold off the challenges of Saracen Owen Farrell and Leicester’s Toby Flood for the RBS 6 Nations – Burns revealed the inspiration for his rise to international prominence.
“When I was younger, he was the guy,” Burns told the Daily Mail.
“The fact that he ended up at Gloucester was such a bonus and he taught me so much. He was always coming out with skills that were unbelievable.
“I remember one day, he put a tractor tyre on its side against a fence, and was bending banana kicks through it from 25 metres away.
“I wasn’t training, but I was watching the boys outside through a window and when I saw that I thought, ‘that is ridiculous’.
“I was lucky enough to spend two years playing behind Carlos and two years behind Nicky Robinson, who is more of a pragmatic 10, so I’ve been able to learn both styles of play.
“I’ve taken bits from both of them and tried to develop my own interpretation.”
