From supermarket work to the Saints No.10 shirt... Makepeace-Cubitt is thriving

It was from a year earlier, as he was getting ready to go and do a night shift at Tesco.

At the time, Makepeace-Cuibtt was just trying to make ends meet after his spell at London Irish came to an end following the club's sad demise in June 2023.

He explained: "I had been 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 stuff because I was 19 then.

"I was working Tesco night shifts when I was playing at Reading Rams, which was quite interesting.

"Rams were in National League 1 and I was just living at home with my mum.

"It is weird because I have some stuff pop up on my phone like, a year ago today, and it's me getting ready to go to work at Tesco's after training.

"On the same day this year I'm playing against Quins, so that's pretty cool.

"I'm loving being back in a full-time environment.

"You come in every day and you're blessed to do what you do, with people who have similar ambitions in wanting to get better and also enjoy what we've got here.

"It's been great."

Makepeace-Cubitt, who has looked an incredibly cool customer since joining Saints from the Rams in May 2024, was always confident he would get another club.

But there were still doubts that lingered while he was having to work part-time, and it was not easy juggling rugby with the night shifts at the supermarket.

"I was coaching in the day as well so I had a lack of sleep and just kind of got into that routine," he explained.

"It took a lot of organising with meal prep and stuff like that but it was all good skills I learned from that and it was enjoyable with how it worked out.

"I always backed my ability.

"The reason I went to Rams was to play.

"I had another year of the (England Under) 20s and I was hoping I could get picked up from that, and I kind of did.

"That really helped me kick-start back into professional rugby.

"When you're working night shifts you kind of question 'how can I get to professional rugby from here?'."

After being left out of work due to the London Irish situation, Makepeace-Cubitt was the only player in England Under-20s' victorious 2024 U20 Six Nations squad not connected to a Premiership club.

"I was hoping it (the return to full-time rugby) would come from the Under-20s but I didn't hear anything and got into the tournament a bit later so there's quite a few months where you don't really know what the next step is or how you're going to get there," he said.

"You definitely have those doubts but I knew if I could get in front of the right people and get the chance to go back into an environment, I could excel."

Makepeace-Cubitt has certainly done that.

He's made seven appearances for Saints so far this season, starting six times.

He was thrown in at the deep in on debut with Fin Smith and George Furbank unavailable for the Gallagher Premiership game at Bristol Bears back in October.

But Makepeace-Cubitt looked far from out of place, producing an assured showing at Ashton Gate.

He followed that up with some strong Premiership Rugby Cup performances and a bench appearance in the Investec Champions Cup clash with Stade Francais in Paris last month.

And he was then given the nod to start against Quins in a Premiership game Saints lost 22-19 due to a late Cassius Cleaves try.

Makepeace-Cubitt produced some more magic in that match at the Twickenham Stoop, with his break and pass opening the door for an early Tom Pearson score.

He doesn't turn 21 until later this month, but the fly-half already seems to have all of the self-belief and ability to succeed at the top level.

"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."

He added: "It's just from the belief I feel I have from the coaching staff and players around me when I move into that 10 role here.

"I get backing from other leaders in the team and the coaching staff.

"It's supported here to be yourself in the system we play and to express yourself in ways you feel like you can.

"I do feel like you get backed to do your individual stuff as long as you're doing your stuff for the team first."

Makepeace-Cubitt couldn't have a better template than fellow Saints fly-half Fin Smith, the top-class 22-year-old who is now with England at the Guinness Six Nations.

"He (Smith) seems like a different level of maturity with how he plays the game," Makepeace-Cubitt said.

"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."

With Smith getting set to face France with England this weekend, Makepeace-Cubitt will focus on maintaining his momentum in the Premiership Rugby Cup clash with Coventry at the Gardens.

"Especially at 10, when you get a bit of game time in that driver's seat, it definitely helps with confidence and performance,” he said.

"It's good to be here.”