Skivington keen to keep hold of Hastings
LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 30: Adam Hastings of Gloucester Rugby celebrates scoring their team's first try as Dino Lamb of Harlequins after failing to stop him scoring during the Gallagher Premiership Rugby Big Game 15 match between Harlequins and Gloucester Rugby at Twickenham Stadium on December 30, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Patrick Khachfe/Getty Images)
Gloucester last week added Charlie Atkinson to their outside-half roster but want to keep Adam Hastings and are in talks with the Scotland international over a new contract.
The 22-year old Atkinson pitched up at Kingsholm last week after moving from Leicester, little more than a year after joining the Tigers following the collapse of Wasps.
Hastings last weekend started his first Premiership match of the campaign and his time with Gloucester has been blighted by a series of injuries.
“Charlie is one of the most talented players in the country and anyone would want him in their squad,” said George Skivington, Gloucester's director of rugby.
“I remember him doing a great job on us for Wasps in the first game of last season. He was training with England and then Wasps folded. He probably did not have the year at Leicester he was hoping for and it is great to have him here.
“He has huge potential and it will be interesting to see how quickly he settles. He has had a hard 12 months and he will be chomping at the bit to prove himself. He is a 10 who can play at full-back and we now have a couple of players in that mould.”
Skivington said that Atkinson, right, joining George Barton and Lloyd Evans as an option at outside-half would not impact on talks with Hastings whose contract us up at the end of the season.
“Charlie has signed a long-term contract and will be here a good while,” he went on. “He is a young player with a bright future in the game and it is up to him how quickly that comes to fruition.
“I would not say it affects Adam directly right now. He has not played a lot recently, but he is a great bloke and I enjoy having him here.
“He is an outstanding player and the lads and coaches love him. What is most important is that he gets a string of games together. We have a very good relationship and we are talking a lot. It will all unfold in the next month or two.”
Skivington is also looking to boost his options at scrum-half. Gloucester have been linked with Cardiff 's Wales international Tomos Williams with the Welsh region resigned to his leaving.
“We are well down the line with a couple of exciting prospects we are talking to and not a million miles off,” Skivington said. “Halfback is something we are looking at. Charlie gives us good depth at 10 and we have had Micky Young in for a time as senior scrumhalf, which has helped.
“Our scrum-halves are quite young and they have learned a huge amount from Micky. It is always nice to have someone sitting over them and we are also talking to a couple of other people.
“Retention is really important and a couple of lads are close to remaining here. The positive is that everyone wants to stay at the club, but with the cap and areas we need to strengthen up, the magnifying glass comes right down on recruitment because we have to make sure we are as strong as we can be next season.”
