Gloucester Rugby: Mark Atkinson signs for Cherry and Whites

GLOUCESTER have clinched the signing of Bedford Blues star centre Mark Atkinson.

The 24-year-old will link up with the Cherry and Whites in the summer and provide back-up for Billy Twelvetrees but also brings the ability to cover both fly-half and full-back.

The former London Wasps and Sale Sharks rookie played all of his early rugby at outside-half but has flourished since making the switch to centre at Goldington Road.

He is the sixth signing of Nigel Davies’ overhaul of the Gloucester squad and, following hot on the heels of Scarlets fly-half Aled Thomas, completes the club’s search for successors to Freddie Burns.

Davies said: “He’s one of the standout players in the Championship and if you speak to anyone who watches a lot of that competition they will say that.

“He’s 6ft 4ins and brings a lot of size and stature, he has a great handling game, a very good offloading game and has played 10 for most of his career so can step there as well as 15.

“He’s coming in predominantly as a 12 but can cover a lot of positions.

“When you look at a player in the Championship you have to see in every game three or four things that set him apart from everyone else.

“A big part of the process is also to meet these players and to establish what type of character they are, their commitment levels, their competitiveness and their desire to succeed. Everyone we have brought on board has a high level in all those attributes.”

Atkinson will essentially take Ryan Mills’ place in the squad, with the latter moving to relegation threatened Worcester Warriors in the summer.

And while Gloucester require plenty of cover in the midfield with Twelvetrees and potentially Henry Trinder involved in the England set-up, Davies knows his new signing will not be content with playing second fiddle.

He said: “We hope Billy continues and Henry can step up to get honours.

“A mark of how successful we are is not only how we perform in the league but also how many international rugby players we produce.

“But these guys aren’t just coming in as cover, they will challenge as well.”

The latest signing comes just 24 hours after the club confirmed the summer arrival of fly-half Thomas – as reported in The Citizen two weeks’ ago.

Davies knows the 29-year-old well, having brought the Scarlets Academy product back to his home region as cover during the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

He has racked up 257 points in 60 appearances for the Llanelli-based outfit and established himself as Rhys Priestland’s deputy this season.

And Davies believes Thomas is cut from a very similar cloth to the Wales fly-half.

He said: “I have known Aled Thomas ever since he was in the academy at the Scarlets.

“He’s a very accomplished player who comes with a lot of experience having played at the top end of the game for over 10 years.

“He’ll bring a lot of stability to that position. He’s very similar in a lot of ways to Rhys Priestland – similar stature, style of rugby, he has a good kicking game out of hand and gets the backs going well.

“He also has good tactical awareness and a very good goal-kicking percentage.

“Aled felt he needed a new challenge. I’ve worked with him before so that helped and he likes where we are taking Gloucester.

“He will know what he’s coming into, he’s had a particularly good season with the Scarlets, has shown is qualities and is experienced.

“He has a World Cup winners medal in the Sevens which can’t be. He is coming with a lot of belief but he also knows he’s coming into a good environment, there will be a lot of challenges and he’s looking forward to it.”

It is understood Gloucester are also weighing up a second swoop on the Scarlets.

The Cherry and Whites are interested in highly-rated flanker Dan Thomas, who is set to be released by the Welsh region despite penning a five-year deal in 2012.

Thomas has made only six appearances for the Llanelli-based outfit this season having fallen out of favour following the arrival of John Barclay.

It is understood Thomas has visited Hartpury and he could join the club via a link-up with the college.

Article source: http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/police-release-cctv-after-rugby-6768192

Gloucester Rugby: Mark Atkinson signs for Cherry and Whites