From Tesco to No.10: Makepeace-Cubitt reflects on rollercoaster 12 months

Young Northampton Saints fly-half George Makepeace-Cubitt recently had a reminder of how far he has come in the last 12 months.

Most Saints know by now of the scenic route Makepeace-Cubitt took towards cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens, ahead of him signing for the Club last summer.

As a teenager, he had the shock of having to find a new club after London Irish went into administration at the end of the 2022/23 season.

It would take him another year to get back into full-time rugby after he signed for National League One side Rams – although this did not stop him from earning an England Under-20s call-up.

Since his arrival at Saints, Makepeace-Cubitt has had enough faith shown in him that he has become the understudy for the No.10 jersey to Fin Smith.

Smith’s international involvements with England this season have allowed the 20-year-old a couple of starting opportunities in the Gallagher Premiership, the second of which at Harlequins last month brought back memories of where he was this time last year.

Makepeace-Cubitt said: “I was living in the Academy house at Irish in Sunbury and then I moved back to Reading, back home.

“I had to find a job to pay my keep and my side of the stuff because I was 19 then.

“I was working Tesco night shifts when I was playing at Rams, which was quite interesting. Rams were in Nat One and I was just living at home with my mum.

Just as he did in his top-flight debut against Bristol Bears back in October, Makepeace-Cubitt fit snugly into the large shoes Smith had temporarily left to fill at Quins, even if both those matches ended with defeat.

The results at Ashton Gate and Twickenham Stoop were certainly no reflection of the youngster’s performances, in which he barely showed signs of nerves.

“I feel like everyone feels their nerves before games, but I asked for these opportunities and I’ve wanted these opportunities so when they do come, I’m more excited about trying to take them,” Makepeace-Cubitt said.

“In my head, if I’ve asked for it and I get it, I don’t want to bottle it through being nervous more than just going 100 per cent at it. That’s my mindset on it.”

Having the chance to learn from a player like Smith, who as every observer knows plays with the authority of someone beyond his own tender years, is something that Makepeace-Cubitt has relished as well.

He said: “He seems like a different level of maturity with how he plays the game.

“I learn stuff from him in terms of how he is day-to-day, how he is around the Club, how he works his way into the team and how he is around the boys.

“He’s very good with it and there’s loads of stuff to learn from him. When you get a bit of game time in that driver’s seat, it definitely helps with confidence and performance.”

Even before Saints’ Premiership Rugby Cup campaign began, Makepeace-Cubitt had experienced what is like playing against Championship opposition during his time on dual registration with Bedford Blues.

Not much would have prepared him for the conditions Storm Bert threw at him when the men in Black, Green and Gold faced this afternoon’s opponents, Coventry, in the reverse fixture back in November.

“The weather was pretty bad – over there it’s pretty open, so there was no cover from the wind and it was wet,” Makepeace-Cubitt said on the experience at the Butts Park Arena.

“They bring line speed into their defence and they put a lot of time into backing themselves, and it’s hard to play against line speed when the ball’s not moving very well and it’s wet.