13 hours Ago By The Telegraph
Gloucester have been one of the refreshing success stories of this Premiership season and George Skivington is overseeing something of an Anglo-Welsh enterprise – particularly in the backline. Tomos Williams and Gareth Anscombe have provided much-needed direction. It may seem trivial, but sources relay how those two experienced half-backs have made training sessions far louder on account of their constant chatter.
Josh Hathaway is a livewire on the wing and Max Llewelleyn has impressed as a strapping runner, whether required out wide or in a more familiar centre role. All told, there is plenty there to encourage Wales head coach Warren Gatland – especially with Freddie Thomas, the mobile lock, going well. But Steve Borthwick should have been paying attention, too, because inside centre Seb Atkinson is the sort of player that seems rather rare in England.
He is reasonably sturdy, standing at 6ft 2in tall and weighing close to 100kg (15st 11lb), and is said to be a deceptively hard hitter. Still just 22, he exudes poise on the ball and stays square on the gain-line, taking sharp options and distributing skilfully to manufacture space for others. Last Friday evening, the disguise on his deft swivel-pass to a looping Williams was critical in causing the Harlequins defence to concertina, allowing Anscombe to loop the ball out to Hathaway for a first-phase try.
🗣️ Listen to the Kingsholm roar! 🔓 Josh Hathaway opens the scoring for ! | — Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) While there has been some justification over the perceived scarcity of England-qualified inside centres around the league, Atkinson has rather understatedly accumulated 37 Premiership appearances – as well as a few in the Challenge and Champions Cup competitions – since the 2021-22 campaign. The first five of these Premiership games were for Worcester Warriors before the West Midlands club went under. There are many, many might-have-beens attached to the demises of Worcester, Wasps and London Irish.
Few are more wistful than the prospect of Fin Smith, Atkinson and Ollie Lawrence joining forces for Warriors as a 10-12-13 combination of academy graduates. As it happens, all three are going nicely at new homes and could well find themselves in the same England set-up at some stage in the future. Skivington was effusive about Atkinson’s potential in the wake of a that has propelled Gloucester to sixth.
“He’s brilliant, Seb,” said the Cherry and Whites head coach. “From day one, we’ve invested in him and I think he’s a brilliant young prospect, a brilliant character. He’s a leader.
He’s not a loud guy – he’s quite quiet – but he packs a way bigger punch than he should. I think he’s got to be in international talk, in my opinion, and I’m really pleased for him because he’s just a good bloke as well. “There have been a lot of physically big 12s who punch hard,” Skivington added.
“[Seb] is quite unique. When I played, Stuart Abbott wasn’t a massive 12 but he had great footwork. Seb is quite similar in stature .
.. but he can run hard and run over you as well as bang you in defence.
I can’t actually think of anyone I would compare him to, but he is a brilliant individual and if he gets an opportunity he will take it.” It is understood that Atkinson, who was out of contract at the end of the season, has extended terms with Gloucester for two more years. The question now is whether Borthwick is intrigued enough to invite him into the England fold.
Lawrence and Henry Slade have now started 10 Tests together in succession, but they have not been so convincing as to stop supporters wondering about alternative midfield configurations as the Six Nations approaches. Benhard Janse van Rensburg is the Premiership’s pre-eminent centre, and would theoretically qualify on residency in 2026. However, he seems to be scuppered by virtue of a single appearance for South Africa Under-20 in 2016.
Fraser Dingwall is an unfussy facilitator who, lest we forget, wore 12 for England at the beginning of 2024. Sam Vesty recently explained that Dingwall has overcome a long-standing niggle and was outstanding in Northampton Saints’ defeat of the Bulls in Pretoria as well as for England A in November alongside Oscar Beard. There appears to be a reluctance for Lawrence to defend in the 13 channel, a responsibility that Dingwall could fulfil if he were to replace Slade.
England called up Luke Northmore and Alex Lozowski to their autumn training camp without fielding either in a Test match. Tommy Freeman shifted to 13 for fleeting moments. Elsewhere around the country, Borthwick is obviously curious about Max Ojomoh and Olly Hartley.
Both of the latter have represented England A and been involved in those squads in 2024. Zack Wimbush is an emerging talent at Exeter Chiefs and Joe Woodward is enjoying a breakthrough for Leicester Tigers. The first three of those candidates are finding their feet after returning from injury.
None apart from Woodward have accrued significant game-time in the Premiership this term. Atkinson, who comprehensively outplayed Montpellier-bound Lennox Anyanwu on Friday evening, is doing just that. And has been for a while.
Gloucester travel to Sandy Park on Sunday. Compound Exeter’s misery by condemning Chiefs to another loss and they will be right in the play-off mix at the turn of the year. That could set up 2025 to be a big year for Skivington’s charges collectively and Atkinson as an individual.
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