'We’re building something special here' - Charlie Atkinson re-signs with Gloucester Rugby
Fly-half Charlie Atkinson said he was happy to sign a contract extension with Gloucester Rugby despite significant competition for the number 10 jersey at Kingsholm.
The 23-year-old Oxford-born back was a highly-rated graduate of the Wasps academy, making 39 appearances for the club before joining Leicester Tigers following Wasps’ suspension from the Premiership in 2022. He made 23 appearances for Leicester Tigers before making a mid-season switch to the Cherry and Whites in December 2023 and has since played 16 games for the club.
Nailing down the fly-half role at Gloucester is no mean feat with a pair of international 10s at the club in Wales' Gareth Anscombe and Argentina star Santi Carreras as rivals for the playmaker role. But Atkinson is considered a long-term option for the club at stand-off and his performances in Cherry and White have seen him marked as a future England international, turning out twice for England ‘A’ in the last year.
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Atkinson said: “I’m very happy to re-sign here at Kingsholm and it was a very easy decision to make. Since I arrived at Gloucester, everyone welcomed me with open arms and took me in and I’m really thankful for that. I’d like to think we’re building something special here and that’s something I want to continue to be a part of.”
Gloucester director of rugby George Skivington added: ”We were pleased to bring Charlie to Kingsholm last season and like we said at the time, we think his ceiling is pretty high. The way we’re playing now relies on our half-backs to make good decisions around where and when we play, and that’s a lot of pressure for a young man, but Charlie is taking it all in his stride. He’s playing in a competitive position, and that’s driving everybody on to bring the best out of themselves. It’s really exciting.”
