Rugby Transfers: England duo make key decisions on PREM futures as fellow Test ace puts exit rumours to bed
Ollie Chessum (right) and Seb Atkinson (left) feature in the latest round up of rugby transfers
Two England internationals have made crucial decisions on their PREM futures, while a recent call-up has also committed himself to English rugby with a fresh deal.
Here are all the latest rugby rumours, transfers and contract renewals.
England international puts exit rumours to bed
Gloucester centre Seb Atkinson has quashed any rumours of a possible exit from Kingsholm after penning a fresh deal with the West Country outfit.
The England international has been linked with a move across the PREM next year, with Leicester Tigers suggested to be a possible destination, but he has recommitted his future to the Cherry and Whites after agreeing a contract through to at least 2029.
Atkinson joined Gloucester in 2022 following the collapse of Worcester Warriors, and has made 84 appearances in all competitions in the years since. He has also become a regular member of the England squad, too, winning seven Test caps at the time of writing.
Commenting on his new deal, the 24-year-old back said: “I’m really grateful to the club for everything they’ve given me since arriving at Kingsholm. There’s no doubt the faith the coaches have shown in me, and the time they’ve invested in my development, has played a huge role in shaping the player and person I am today.
“Playing at Kingsholm is a privilege, and I’ve been overwhelmed by how the Gloucester supporters have welcomed me and made me feel one of their own.
“I’m in a place where I feel valued by the coaches, the fans and my teammates. I’m enjoying my rugby and feel this is the perfect environment for me to continue developing and improving my game.
“Most importantly, I’m committed to helping bring success to this club. When I took all of those things into consideration, signing a new deal was the only decision.”
Gloucester head coach, George Skivington, added: “This is a really significant re-signing for us. Seb had plenty of options on the table, so his commitment to the club is a real indication of where Gloucester Rugby is right now.
“Seb has been exceptional for us since the day he arrived. He came with great physical qualities and an outstanding level of professionalism in the way he approaches his own development and the success of the team.
“He’s the ultimate professional and a fantastic role model for any young rugby player in the way he carries himself on matchdays, in training and away from the field.
“We’re delighted to get Seb’s deal over the line and look forward to him remaining a key part of what we’re building at Gloucester Rugby for many years to come.”
He also becomes the latest England international to re-sign with the club, with Charlie Atkinson also agreeing a fresh deal earlier this year.
Ollie Chessum pens fresh PREM contract
Fellow England international Ollie Chessum has also signed a fresh deal to keep him in the PREM, committing his long-term future to Leicester Tigers.
The versatile forward, who can play both lock and flanker, has spent the entirety of his club career with the East Midlands outfit and has made 88 senior appearances to date. In that time, he has also helped the Tigers win one PREM Rugby title.
Chessum has also shone at international level, representing England on 38 occasions and is one of 25 players on an enhanced EPS contract with the national side. He also featured in each of the three Tests during the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour of Australia.
Commenting on his fresh multi-year deal, the 26-year-old said: “It wasn’t a difficult decision. I saw what Jack van Poortvliet said when he re-signed last week. It makes it so much easier when you love the club but also love the people in it.”
“I’ve got some of my closest mates here and I think we’re at that turning point in our careers for a lot of us where we’ve gone from being those younger players to now all being in leadership roles and we can take this place where we want it.
“Adding to that, we’ve got a real bit of consistency with Geoff being here for a second season. I really enjoy working with him and for me it was just as simple as I couldn’t imagine wearing any other badge on my chest.”
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Leicester head coach, Geoff Parling, added: “It’s just over a year since I asked Chess to captain the club and he’s been brilliant at driving our preparation levels each week. I want our environment to have both a hard edge and be fun, with a real togetherness in the group, and I think his personality fits this really well.”
“The exciting part is that he’s got huge potential to keep pushing and growing his game further for both ourselves and England.”
Northampton Saints tie down England call-up in latest retention move
Reigning PREM champions Northampton Saints have made their latest retention move, with England call-up Archie McParland committing his long-term future to the club.
The promising scrum-half came through the academy ranks at the Saints to make his senior bow in 2022, and has since made 63 appearances at the time of writing. In that time, he has also helped the Saints win two PREM Rugby titles, notably starting in their final victory over Exeter Chiefs last season.
His form for the Saints has quickly pushed him into the England discussion, featuring for the ‘A’ side on multiple occasions and was recently drafted into the three-day camp ahead of the Nations Championship campaign.
Commenting on re-signing with the Saints, McParland said: “Saints have given me so much throughout my career, so I’m really happy to be signing on again with this club.
“There’s so much more potential in this team, which is really exciting, and I see Saints as the club that can get the very best out of me and help me fulfil my own potential too.
“Last season was brilliant for me in terms of getting more game time. Playing regularly is obviously really important if you want to improve, but I think having strong competition around you is just as important. Having Mitch [Alex Mitchell] here and being able to work alongside him every day is only going to make both of us better in the long run.
“It would be amazing to win the PREM again. Very few teams get the opportunity to win back-to-back titles, so of course that’s something we’d love to achieve. But we’re not getting ahead of ourselves. We know how difficult that is, so it’s about taking things one game at a time while keeping that ambition in the back of our minds.
“It has been great to get a feel for what an England camp is like, and to train alongside some of the best players in the country. Playing for England has been a dream of mine since I was five years old, and it’s something I really hope I can achieve. I know there’s a lot of work to do to get there, so for now my focus is on continuing to improve and performing well for Saints.”
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Northampton director of rugby, Phil Dowson, added: “Archie is one of the most driven and competitive people I’ve come across. He’s a great lad who’s really coming out of his shell, and over the last 12 months we’ve seen him play some of his best rugby.
“He’s another great example of what a successful Academy pathway can produce. He’s come through that system and done things exactly the right way, learning from the senior players around him, pushing himself every day within our environment to keep improving, and then making the most of the opportunities that have come his way.
“Archie always had a big reputation coming through the England age-groups, so to see him begin to realise that potential through a lot of hard work, and then reap the rewards with the year he had last season, was really pleasing.
“The competition he’s built with Mitch [Alex Mitchell] is a really strong one. They push each other to keep growing and learning, but there are also two more homegrown scrum-halves in Jonny Weimann and Sonny Goode coming through behind them and pushing hard as well – which is exactly what you want.
“Archie is an ambitious guy who just keeps pushing himself to get better, and we’ve seen the rewards of that with the recent recognition he’s had from England. We know how important that international recognition is to him, and he believes the best place for him to keep developing and give himself the opportunity to take that next step is here in Northampton.
“That’s really pleasing for us, and speaks volumes about the environment we have at the Club and how much our players buy into what we’re trying to achieve.
“More than anything, Archie is still a young player with a huge amount of potential ahead of him, and we’re really looking forward to seeing where he can take his game from here. We’re delighted that he’ll be continuing that journey with us.”
