Atkinson enjoying life at Gloucester
Seb Atkinson is ending the season on a high having feared his career might be over just as it had started following the collapse of Worcester last September.
The 20-year-old centre, a product of the Warriors' academy who had been at the club since he was 13, was looking to make his senior breakthrough having made eight appearances for the first team last season, four in the Premiership having marked his first league start with a try against Harlequins.
He has made the impact he intended, but for Gloucester, one of the club's stand-out players in a season that started strongly but fizzled out after a debilitating succession of long term injuries.
One of them was to the England centre Mark Atkinson, which gave his namesake Seb his opportunity. He made a try scoring debut against Bristol in the Premiership Cup and, a few weeks later, started the league victory over Northampton, the first of 13 league and Champions Cup appearances in the 12 jersey.
“What happened at Worcester was a tough time for everyone involved,” said Atkinson. “I had felt comfortable there and excited about the future. Steve Diamond (the director of rugby) was very direct and I liked that because there was no ambiguity, but suddenly you were left with uncertainty.
“I was really fortunate to land on my feet quite quickly when Gloucester came in. I had had chats with a few people and there were varying levels of interest, but I felt Gloucester was the right fit for me and that has proved to be the case.
“Coming from Worcester has motivated me more because I knew I had been lucky to be given this chance. I have tried to run with it from my first day here knowing that having been given the opportunity I had to take it.”
Gloucester's head coach George Skivington said that Atkinson had not been on his radar but when Mark Atkinson was ruled out for the rest of the campaign one month into it, he remembered the young centre who had impressed him during last season's Premiership Cup semi-final at Kingsholm.
“I suppose he came here by default when Mark went down and Worcester folded,” said Skivington, right. “He has been a regular starter with all the injuries we have had but he works hard and does not take his place for granted, a measure of quality in a young man. He knows he will play but he wants to get better. He has been outstanding.”
Atkinson said he had tapped into the wealth of experience behind the scrum at Gloucester, learning from the likes of Adam Hastings, Santi Carreras and Billy Twelvetrees.
“As a few games went by, I realised I had a big opportunity to show what I could do,” he said. “I know I am young but I think I am ready. I have always tried to be a very balanced player who knows his role and eliminates weaknesses.
“My defence has improved at Gloucester. Billy has been a huge help, someone who has been there and is still doing it. He really understands the game and points out what I am seeing and what I am missing. It is instructive to hear him talk in front of the group.”
Atkinson knows that when Mark Atkinson returns next season and Max Llewellyn arrives from Cardiff, there will be more competition in the midfield, but he has already prepared for that, asking Skivington what he needs to do. “My game can only improve through competition,” he said. “I approached George because I wanted to pick his brains and learn. It is about doing as well as I can and getting better.
“I am really grateful to Gloucester for giving me a chance. My pals from Worcester are spread all around and I do not get to speak to them that often. A tough time was made harder by the reduced salary cap and Wasps quickly following us out of the league and many were not as fortunate as me.
“Things have worked out for me and while it has been a tough campaign, we have the ability to be at the other end of the table next season. We have a talented, well-rounded squad and we know what we are capable of.”
