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. 

- PAUL REES

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.