Seb Atkinson OUT! Ranking six England inside centre options as man in ‘fine form’ to ‘slot straight back in’
Seb Atkinson (left) is ruled out of the Autumn Nations Series, while Fraser Dingwall (centre) and Max Ojomoh (right) will be hoping for a call up next week.
England have been dealt yet another injury blow ahead of their Autumn Nations Series campaign, with centre Seb Atkinson ruled out of next month’s Tests.
The Gloucester back was a key man for Steve Borthwick’s side in their 2-0 series whitewash over Argentina in the summer and looked set to again feature in the wider squad for the four Tests against the Wallabies, Fiji, the All Blacks and Los Pumas next month.
“He’ll be out for a substantial amount of time,” said Gloucester director of rugby George Skivington. “At least two months, so the autumn is gone for Seb, unfortunately.
“He has got MCL damage and a bit of muscle damage in his quad. It’s not actually as bad as it could have been, but it’s disappointing for us and England.”
Atkinson’s injury will come as a major blow to England, with Borthwick set to name an initial squad for a three-day training camp next week before the main Test squad is announced a week later.
Inside centre has been a problem area for some time now, with Henry Slade and Ollie Lawrence dipping in and out of that position while Fraser Dingwall, Atkinson and Max Ojomoh have also been deployed in recent Tests.
With the squad announcement looming, who will Borthwick now turn to? Well, here is a full look at the England depth chart at inside centre.
Test starter: Fraser Dingwall
With Atkinson now out of the picture for November, it seems likely Dingwall will slot straight back into the starting shirt. The four-cap Northampton Saints man missed out on the summer tour through injury, but he seemed to be the missing link in this England attack upon his return in the 2025 Six Nations.
Dingwall’s eye for space, ability to play first-receiver and his overall playmaking skills added so much to the attacking system in the two wins over Italy and Wales, but his impact will only go up in this Lee Blackett system.
While Atkinson might have more of a desire to carry than Dingwall, they both offer very similar handling and playmaking ability, and given how effective Atkinson was in the summer, Dingwall should pick things straight back up.
The Saints man has also been in fine form for Northampton since the start of the season, which would have caught Borthwick’s eye.
In the mix: Max Ojomoh
Another player bang in form and climbing up the England pecking order, Ojomoh will be right on Borthwick’s mind with Atkinson out. The Bath man’s stint at 10 in the early part of the season showed he can pull the strings in attack and get things moving, which is something Borthwick will want from his inside centre.
Around that, Ojomoh also offers so much in the carry and can give England that proper strike option as well. His skills mainly come from his timing, picking exactly the right moment to change his speed and power through a gap, which could make him a proper asset.
One big thing is he knows exactly how Blackett’s attack works, having played a key role in it for Bath in their title rampage and then for England in the summer. That understanding of the system will mean he can effortlessly slot into place, which will give England some real continuity from the get-go rather than the traditional slow burn towards the end of the campaign.
Outside bet: Henry Slade, Ollie Lawrence, Luke Northmore
We should explain that these three are only in this section because they will likely be more viable options at 13 this autumn, but their experience in the number 12 jersey still makes them viable options.
All three men have tasted good minutes at inside centre, with Slade and Lawrence both starting Test matches here for Borthwick, while Northmore has also featured at 12 for Harlequins. They would all offer something unique to this side.
Slade is starting to find his mojo again for the Chiefs and again, while much of that has come at 13, that could come in handy at 12 too. Lawrence has only taken his carrying up another gear since returning, notably looking for more work in the tight, and that could be pricking Borthwick’s ears over a possible return to 12. Blackett’s system could give him that freedom to chop and change between the positions too.
Northmore seems to be a good blend of both. As we saw in the summer, his running angles make him a real strike option in midfield, but he also mixes him some lovely handling within that. They will all certainly be in contention for both spots next month.
Bolter: Joe Woodward
The Leicester Tigers man has been banging on the door for a good while now, and the injury to Atkinson could be the thing to get him in the mix. Woodward is certainly one of the best up-and-coming players in the PREM, and has backed up a strong season last year with some good outings this time round too, which is very pleasing to see.
He also seems to fit the bill as a strike option in attack, but it is his defensive reading that makes him such a talented player. You would expect big things from him in the future, but it could be a good time to bring him in and give him a taste of life in the England camp.
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