Steve Borthwick lauds uncapped star who has ‘nudged above’ key Test players after ‘smashing records’ in England training
England head coach Steve Borthwick watches his team train ahead of the France XV match this weekend
England head coach Steve Borthwick has lauded the impact of uncapped back Seb Atkinson in his short stint with the national side, believing he is already pushing his name up the pecking order.
The Gloucester ace has long been seen as a possible Test match player after impressive Premiership performances, and will finally pull on the white jersey this weekend after being named in the starting England XV team to play France XV at the Allianz Stadium, Twickenham.
Atkinson is among five uncapped players included in the 23-man match-day squad, as England prepare for their summer tour to the Americas.
Borthwick lauds Seb Atkinson’s impact in England squad
The 23-year-old has faced stern competition to get into the senior side in the past year, with the likes of Ollie Lawrence, Henry Slade and Fraser Dingwall all starting in the number 12 shirt, while Tommy Freeman and Elliot Daly have also featured in midfield as well, but with the latter two away on Lions duty, Atkinson is one of several players to be handed a shot in the team.
“We spoke as a coaching team about being adaptable and flexible in our strategies,” Borthwick said. “We wanted as many England players in that Lions squad, and there might be other situations where other England players join that squad.
“That then creates opportunities for others in this England squad, and what I’m seeing so far is players grabbing that opportunity with both hands.
“I could about so many different players, it almost seems unfair to speak about one, but take Seb Atkinson staring at 12 this week. The way he has embraced training and jumped into it, I think he’s smashed every record we have on the GPS for running for what he does in training.
“We have a group of players like Henry Slade, Tommy Freeman and Freddie Steward who are right up there, but Seb’s come in and put himself right in that mix and even nudged above that, and that raises the standards of everybody. That’s not something you would usually expect from a player straight into the squad, but that’s what Seb’s done.”
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Commenting more on what he sees in his on-field performances, Borthwick was still full of praise for his overall ability.
“I like his ability to distribute the ball right at the line, which is a rare skill. He has a short and long passing game,” he said. “I also appreciate how hard he works in defence, he covers a huge amount of ground, and he’s also added a jackal presence to his game.
“With him, you have a 12 who can carry, has a passing game, covers ground in defence and attacks the breakdown.”
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