After a season within the French fifth division, Tom Pittman could possibly be calling himself a Check match participant this July.
When USA Rugby confirmed their males’s Prolonged Participant Squad for 2025, the 26-year-old’s title was included in a fly-half group that additionally contained AJ MacGinty (Bristol Bears), Luke Carty (NOLA Gold), Rand Santos (College of California, Berkeley), and Chris Hilsenbeck (Chicago Hounds).
In contrast to his soon-to-be compatriots, Pittman doesn’t play his rugby on residence soil or within the Gallagher Premiership. Actually, he’s a relative unknown.
Up to now, the fly-half has by no means performed a top-flight rugby match. Prior to now three seasons, Pittman has plied his commerce with Jersey Reds and Cornish Pirates within the Championship earlier than a transfer to French fifth division membership C’Chartres Rugby final summer season in pursuit of sport time.
It’s there, on the outskirts of Paris, {that a} cost to play worldwide rugby has slowly gathered tempo over the previous 10 months.
He picked up the phone to RugbyPass on a Monday afternoon, less than 12 hours after getting back home following a 45–17 win over USA Limoges and a 10-point haul from the kicking tee.
“I’ve played 21 games, I’ve started 20 and I’ve scored over 260 points,” Pittman said. “I got here and straight away the coaches put a lot of faith in me. That just gave me a lot of confidence coming here.
“At Jersey and Pirates, it was a bit different. I would start one game, be on the bench (the following match) and then wouldn’t be picked.
“Ultimately, I was looking for a season where I got that backing. I’d like to think I’ve performed on the pitch and shown everyone what I can do. It has been refreshing.
“It has been good to look back at the games every week and work on things, whereas at Pirates and Jersey I’d watch training back, I’d be on the bench and couldn’t really get into the rhythm of the game.
“Here I’m playing 80 minutes every week, finding good confidence and some form. It makes a difference playing every game.”
Pittman has developed a newfound confidence with his extended minutes on the pitch.
Before, he saw himself as a running fly-half and capable from the kicking tee. Now, he is a more well-rounded controller of the game who relishes the roar of opposition fans trying to put him off when he’s eyeing up a shot at goal, the smoke from flares, and the banging of drums.
For almost as long as he can remember, Pittman has wanted to play professional rugby.
As a teenager, he was part of the Bath Rugby Academy whereas on the King’s Faculty, Taunton, and enrolled on the College of Tub to play BUCS Tremendous Rugby alongside Jack Kenningham (Harlequins) and Max Ojomoh (Tub Rugby).
Covid-19 introduced his remaining college season to a untimely finish, earlier than a spell with the Boroughmuir Bears within the Tremendous Sequence, and a disaster at Jersey led Harvey Biljon to deliver the playmaker to the Channel Islands.
Massive Season Forward! Let’s go CCR! 💙🤍 pic.twitter.com/YHZSpd5HSV
— Tom Pittman (@tompittman78) August 12, 2024
Actually, outdoors of a spell dressing up as Leroy the Lion at Longleat Safari Park in Wiltshire, all of Pittman’s work has been centred round rugby in some sense.
However even when his dedication to the sport that has inhabited most of his waking ideas for practically twenty years has contributed to USA recognition, even the 26-year-old admits there was a sprinkling of excellent fortune.
Grandson of former Ireland hooker John Hewitt, it was whereas making use of for an Irish passport in February that his grandfather’s delivery in Mississippi got here to the eye of Pittman’s agent, James Percival.
Prior to now, it was a indisputable fact that had been brushed over, however in a world the place Major League Rugby groups are on the hunt for USA-qualified gamers and the nationwide crew is present process immense change, it was life-changing.
“I’ve at all times mentioned exhausting work pays off,” Pittman mentioned. “You don’t get luck by a random alternative, however the USA alternative is simply luck. My grandad being born within the US is simply luck.
“I’ve spoken to Scott two or thrice now and each time I converse to him in regards to the Eagles mission, it sounds superior.
“To be in that surroundings with somebody like AJ MacGinty and studying off him, that’s going to be superior and a large studying curve.”
78′ | DROP GOAL @MuirBears
Tom Pittman wished what fellow FOSROC Super6 stand-offs Bruce Houston and Jason Baggott even have, an elusive drop objective.In doing so he extends the Bears result in six factors with solely minutes left on the clock.
[23-17] pic.twitter.com/LlUCVCIidx
— Arnold Clark Premierships (@ScotRugbyPrems) August 29, 2021
“Going from C’Chartres into an Eagles squad, I feel that’s going to be an enormous eye-opener to see the place I’m at when it comes to my means.
“I’ve acquired the chance to go there by exhausting work, getting up early to do my additional coaching, additional abilities and all that.
“This season has been a large studying curve for me. I’m out right here, dwelling in a flat on my own and this season I’ve been very targeted on attaining what I’ve wished to attain.
“There’s nonetheless plenty of work to do – on my abilities, decision-making and communication – however I’m positively on course.”
Pittman is sincere when requested about what the longer term has in retailer.
His worldwide call-up is a transparent signal that the 26-year-old may nicely be outgrowing his environment in C’Chartres – irrespective of how good they’ve been to him.
With Check caps probably becoming a member of Longleat on his CV, alternatives may seem larger up the French league ladder or again in England, though pursuing the American dream is never performed in Europe.
“If I actually need to take issues significantly with the Eagles, and that’s what I need to do, presumably enjoying in MLR is perhaps the most suitable choice for me,” Pittman mentioned.
“Having that connection and communication with the coaches and different gamers week in, week out, I feel that’s in all probability one of the best factor for my improvement.”
This July, the Eagles will play Assessments in opposition to Belgium and Spain in Charlotte, North Carolina, earlier than internet hosting England in Washington DC.
Afterwards, the crew will regroup earlier than they host the Pacific Nations Cup, the place a return to the Rugby World Cup is on the playing cards.
At this second in time, the alternatives are limitless.
