From across the Kingsholm car park, Gloucester centres Seb Atkinson and Will Joseph display the relaxed understanding that every successful midfield partnership needs.
‘Perhaps it has something to do with our owner, Martin St Quinton,’ Atkinson jokes, as he looks towards an unfamiliar Caterham 7 sports car parked nearby.
‘Val Rapava-Ruskin, our Georgian prop, used to drive a Maserati,’ Joseph adds. ‘You’ll be in line for a good one soon, won’t you, Seb? Kerching!’
‘I drive a VW Golf!’ replies Atkinson, who was awarded his first enhanced central contract by the RFU this summer. ‘I’m more like N’Golo Kante, the French midfielder with the Mini.’
‘That’s it — the Kante of the team,’ Joseph says. ‘Seb is our workhorse, just like N’Golo. He’s relentless and always records the highest metres. Whether we’re training or playing, Seb checks the statistics. He’s always running, always chasing kicks and always near the top.’
Atkinson’s numbers underline that description. The inside centre recorded more post-contact metres than any other back in the PREM last season, providing power in Gloucester’s midfield alongside the flair of fellow 24-year-old Joseph at outside centre.
Gloucester’s Seb Atkinson (left) and Will Joseph (right) have the easy understanding every effective centre partnership needs
Optimism is building at Gloucester as the club prepare to welcome back-to-back European champions and French giants Bordeaux for their Champions Cup opener
Atkinson provides power in Gloucester’s backline, complemented by the flair of outside centre Joseph
‘If we’re comparing ourselves with footballers, Will is Lamine Yamal,’ says Atkinson, referring to the 19-year-old Barcelona winger who has already guided Spain to World Cup and European Championship glory. ‘He’s quick and skilful. He can do everything I can’t. He’s exciting with the ball and plays with real confidence.
‘You can spend the whole week preparing tactically, but if someone can beat their man with speed or footwork, the defensive set-up does not always matter. I probably become too focused on tactics at times, whereas Will brings the spark and flair that gets the crowd out of their seats.’
That optimism is evident throughout Gloucester as they prepare to host back-to-back European champions Bordeaux in their Champions Cup opener on Friday night.
After a disappointing eighth-place finish in the PREM last season — they edged into Europe’s elite competition by a single point ahead of ninth-placed Harlequins — Gloucester sit top of the table after three rounds, with their young backs making a strong impression.
Technical director Chris Boyd, the experienced New Zealander, reshaped the coaching structure last season by appointing Brett Deacon as forwards coach, Joel Tomkins as defence coach and Rob Burgess as recruitment chief. Gloucester strengthened their pack again this summer, signing Springbok lock Jean Kleyn and Wales co-captains Dewi Lake and Jac Morgan to provide the platform for Atkinson, Joseph and the rest of the backline.
Gloucester are one of only two current PREM clubs, alongside Bristol, never to have won the league title. They have competed in all 40 seasons since the move to a national league system and have topped the table three times, only to see their campaigns end in the play-offs. Could this finally be the year they end that drought?
‘The feeling is good,’ Atkinson says. ‘There was some uncertainty during pre-season. We knew we had the ability to play good rugby, but we had thought that in previous years too and it had not quite happened. Now there is a belief that we can still improve significantly.
‘Joel wants to see physical players putting their bodies on the line, doing whatever the team needs and then getting back up to do it again. His northern accent probably helps! We are aiming to make dominant tackles, not simply complete tackles.
‘The feeling is good,’ says Atkinson. ‘We knew we had the ability to play good rugby, but we had thought that in previous years too. There is a belief that we can still improve significantly.’
Gloucester, one of only two current PREM clubs alongside Bristol never to have won the title, lead the table after three rounds
Gloucester strengthened their pack this summer with the arrivals of Dewi Lake, Jean Kleyn and Jac Morgan (L-R)
‘Then someone like Jean makes good points around training. If you see people getting frustrated, a few scuffles, he just says, “That’s not the team we want to be”.
‘No one is reinventing rugby. They know what’s right and what’s wrong and people buy into that. It gives us trust and belief in our game plan so everything pushes in the right direction.
‘I’ve had some tough times at this club. We don’t want to get satisfied now and fall back into those periods. We’re not here for just a couple of good games.’
Friday night’s match against Bordeaux will be Gloucester’s toughest test in recent years. The visitors are loaded with stars such as Tom Willis, Maxime Lucu and Yoram Moefana, and have won each of their seven matches against English sides in the two Champions Cup-winning campaigns.
The French heavyweights sprung a surprise with their team selection, naming giant 23st Tonga prop Ben Tameifuna in the second row alongside 6ft 5in Cameron Woki.
For the hosts, Joseph will shift to the wing, lining up against French superstar Louis Bielle-Biarrey, a challenge he is not shying away from.
‘The double European champions are coming to our place on a Friday night,’ says Joseph. ‘Given how we’ve started the PREM, we definitely feel like we’ve got a chance to win that game and show the rest of Europe what we’re about.
‘What a statement that could be. If you can’t get excited for this one then you’re in the wrong sport. It’s going to be like a Test match for us.’
As the man in possession of England’s No12 jersey, Atkinson knows the demands of Test rugby. Attack coach James Lightfoot-Brown celebrated his central contract in a team meeting, while the club hope the buzz around Kingsholm will convince Atkinson to sign a new deal. His current contract expires at the end of this season.
‘Things are looking positive so we’ll see,’ says Atkinson. ‘I’m enjoying being here and I’m enjoying playing with Will and everyone else. The contract with England is a funny one because it doesn’t guarantee selection in any way. It won’t change my mindset on things.
‘It shows what I’ve been doing so far has been respected by the coaching set-up. With the World Cup lingering in the background, I want to continue on that trajectory. Everyone at the club gives you a pat on the back but it doesn’t change much in my mind. I’m gaining confidence every game I play. I want to push myself to be one of the best 12s in the world.’
Atkinson is the man in possession of England’s No12 shirt, and this summer was awarded his first enhanced EPS contract by the RFU
Joseph’s older brother Jonathan won 54 caps for England between 2012 and 2020, winning the Six Nations three times including a Grand Slam in 2016 (pictured left, with Anthony Watson)
‘I was 19 when I was called up by England,’ says Joseph of his senior debut in 2022 in Brisbane. ‘I went in with the attitude of having nothing to lose’
While Atkinson is looking to cement his place in Steve Borthwick’s midfield, Joseph is trying to force his way back into the conversation.
He has just one cap, earned four years ago, when Eddie Jones called him up as an apprentice for the victorious tour of Australia. Gloucester coach George Skivington believes the pair’s complementary skillsets can see them thrive for country as well as club.
‘I was 19 when I was called up by England,’ says Joseph. ‘It’s all a bit of a blur. I went in as an apprentice player, probably not expecting to play. I went in with the attitude of having nothing to lose. That was pretty freeing. I trained pretty well and was given an opportunity.
‘I hadn’t played much rugby at all at that point. I was living in the academy house, pretty immature, developing as a young man. I’ve learned a lot about the game since then. Now I know what it takes to be a consistent Premiership player. It’s an environment I’d love to be part of in the future but for now I’m focused on Gloucester.’
Joseph’s older brother Jonathan was capped 54 times by England, winning three Six Nations titles including the 2016 Grand Slam, and the famous name carries weight.
‘When I was younger, I used to struggle with the expectancy,’ he admits. ‘I felt like I was always being compared to him. People had a perception of me and they would say, “You’re never going to be as good as your brother”. That used to get to me a bit. Now I’ve proven to myself that I belong here and deserve to be here. We’ve spoken a lot about confidence and belief and you can feel that around the building.’
