'I had to have a word with him and I used the word stupid'
Wasps boss Lee Blackett is delighted teenager Charlie Atkinson is quickly becoming known for his ability to play this winter rather than just being the kid who was recklessly clattered in the collision that led to Owen Farrell’s Premiership red card for Saracens last September.
Atkinson’s second appearance from the Premiership bench following the post-lockdown resumption of the league in England ended abruptly, the 19-year-old left concussed and Farrell receiving a five-match ban that ruled him out of Saracens’ European campaign.
The bang ended the season for Atkinson but he has commendably bounced back to prominence in recent weeks, starting at out-half for Wasps in European wins over Dragons and Montpellier after a league run off the bench at Gloucester.
He kept that fine run of form going last Sunday at Sale, starting again in the 26-23 win, scoring a first Premiership try, beating eight defenders and making 35 metres off six carries.
It was a fine glimpse as to what he can do at senior level but even that excellent evidence didn’t see him avoid a word of warning from coach Blackett with Wasps back at work ahead of Saturday’s visit of Exeter to the Ricoh ten weeks after the teams played out an intriguing Premiership final at Twickenham won by the Chiefs.
Finding the gap ? @atkinsonc_ darts through to score his first #GallagherPrem try for @WaspsRugby in Round 4? ?
What did you make of the visitors' performance? ?
Highlights and full match replay ? https://t.co/EscVBcLRBY pic.twitter.com/pZq6hJaEII
— Premiership Rugby (@premrugby) December 28, 2020
“I had to have a word with him and I used the word stupid,” said Blackett. “There were pick and goes at the weekend where he was getting himself in as guard to make tackles and he was pushing Will Rowlands out of the way to make a tackle.
“I just had to remind him if he wants a career like Jimmy Gopperth, get yourself out of there pal. You don’t need to be doing that. Let the forwards make those tackles. But that is Charlie. The one thing you would definitely say is he is as tough as they come, but we knew that anyway.
“Defensively he is not being found for the lack of physicality which you would maybe expect from a young half-back. He has shown himself there. There are some little things just between me and him we feel he can work on and get better. There is definitely loads of improvement but we’re really pleased for the future of this club with Charlie and Jacob (Umaga) being two young 10s. Hopefully, they can take us through the next ten or so years together.”
It was Christmas last year when Atkinson fleetingly first came into the senior team fold for a training day. “It was in school holidays, he came in and had one day with us training and you saw there was something there and then.
“When we came back after the break he was the only senior academy guy that we brought into the squad to train initially after the lockdown because he was one of the guys you could see had massive potential. For me, it was about we saw something instantly in him that we liked but didn’t know he could play at this level and how soon he could play at this level.
“In an ideal world we had actually planned the Montpellier game to try and get him in to start, so that was our plan at the start of the season. Then the Dragons game with the internationals and Jacob being out, we just felt with Dan Robson being there for that game and Jimmy Gopperth outside we’ll get him in.
“What I have learned since is he is up to this level. We had our stats, Aflie Barbeary had three defenders beaten and Charlie Atkinson had eight defenders beaten at the weekend. Didn’t know how good he was going to the line and taking people on with show and go. We thought he would be good in that area but he has shown me he is actually a little bit better than what I had thought.”
Wasps are currently four wins from six in the league and Europe following a wobbly start to 2020/21 and the emergence of the likes of Atkinson has most pleased Blackett. “It’s not perfect because we would all like six but it is not a disastrous start.
“We have won four out of six and the biggest pleasing aspect out of that is how many of the youngsters have played and actually played well. The likes of Charlie Atkinson probably stands out because before the start of the season we wouldn’t have known where we were with him.
“I personally have learned loads about him as a player and I’m sure he has learned loads about himself… we’re pretty satisfied with start. We are never going to be happy with losing a couple of games, but looking at the first six games we are satisfied with what has gone on.”
"There are still question marks here in terms of will he need surgery"
– It was a costly visit to Sale for Wasps despite their win. Lee Blackett delivers their latest medical bulletin #GallagherPremhttps://t.co/0uudcnP8Vo
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) December 29, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
Ben Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
19 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
19 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
28 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
19 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
28 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
19 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
86 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
4 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
9 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
19 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
14 Go to comments