mens
nations-championship
Gloucester Fly-half Charlie Atkinson has been rewarded for his club form with a place in England to train for the upcoming Nations Championship.
The 25-year-old was brought in as cover for Finn Smith, who picked up a calf injury in Northampton’s derby day defeat to Leicester on Saturday.
Atkinson, who won his only England cap against USA in the summer of 2025, he was instrumental in Gloucester’s strong start to the season.
Cherry & White lead the PREM standings after the first four rounds, while they held holders Bordeaux-Begles to a draw in the Champions Cup.
Head coach Steve Borthwick named Smith as part of the 36-man training squad on Sunday, but he will not train this week and will instead begin his rehabilitation in camp.
The Saints star has taken control of the No 10 jersey for the last two rounds of the Six Nations, starting all three of July’s Tests against South Africa, Fiji and Argentina.
A calf injury forced him to miss the start of the championship with George Ford selected as chief conductor and veteran Sale the playmaker will come into the fight to replace if Smith is ruled out.
Marcus Smith is a third-half in England’s elite side and Harlequin went into camp on Sunday night as a fit player after his player in the game against Saracens hours earlier.
Smith celebrated his 200th appearance for Quins by running in the first try to prevent Max Mullins from going down with a last-ditch tackle in a 33-15 win at The Stoop.
However, Borthwick sees Smith primarily as a full-back rather than a scrum-half where he plays for Quins, and the 27-year-old is also a vital bench option due to his ability to cover multiple positions.
England have started a three-day training camp ahead of the upcoming Nations Championship. The team will train at the England Performance Center in Pennyhill Park until Tuesday 27 October.
England welcome Australia to the Allianz Stadium in Twickenham on Sunday 8 November in the 4th round of the Nations Championship, before the Japan and New Zealand.
Updated England Nations Championship team:
Strikers:
Finn Baxter (Harlequins)
Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers)
Arthur Clark (Gloucester Rugby)
Alex Coles (Northampton saints)
Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks)
Ben Curry (Sale Sharks)
Tom Curry (Sale Sharks)
Ben Earl (Saracens)
Greg Fisilau (Exeter Chiefs)
Jamie George (Saracens)
Ellis Genge (Bristol bears)
Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers)
Maro Itoje (Saracens)
Emmanuel Iyogun (Northampton Saints)
George Martin (Saracens)
Asher Opoku-Fordjour (Sales Sharks)
Tom Pearson (Northampton Saints)
Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints)
Will Stuart (Bath rugby)
Kepuel Tuipulotu (bath rugby)
back:
Charlie Atkinson (Gloucester Rugby)
Noah Caluori (Saracens)
Fraser Dingwall (Northampton Saints)
George Ford (Sale Sharks)
Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints)
George Furbank (Harlequins)
Will Joseph (Gloucester Rugby)
Joe Marchant (Sale Sharks)
Archie McParland (Northampton Saints)
Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints)
Adán Murley (Harlequins)
Max Ojomoh (bath rugby)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)
Marcus Smith (Harlequins)
Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers)
Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers)
