Ford Injured, So Next At Ten…?

Charlie Atkinson’s try for Gloucester against Castres in the Investec Champions Cup was a reminder to England head coach Steve Borthwick that there are flyhalves out there other than George Ford, Fin Smith, and Marcus Smith.

Ford showed during the Quilter Nations Series in November that he is Borthwick’s first choice after three commanding displays against Australia, New Zealand, and Argentina. Soon after on his return to Gallagher PREM Rugby, he reminded us that he is only human when he limped off after 61 minutes in Sale Sharks’ defeat to Exeter Chiefs.

Fin Smith is the most like for like replacement and the man who Ford retook the shirt from when the Northampton Saints player was away touring Australia with the Lions. In it, Ford was part of a two-test victory in Argentina.

There is also Marcus Smith lurking in the wings, and the man Borthwick opted to have on the bench in the big matches this November, with the Harlequins player’s ability to also cover fullback (handily it proved) earning him the nod over his namesake.

But alongside Atkinson, who is next off the rank if any of these three go down long term? ATR looks at the options…

Charlie Atkinson - Gloucester

As the most recent England A starting flyhalf, Atkinson could make a case for being the first to be called up if anything were to befall Ford, Smith or Smith. After all, he played 69 minutes against the All Blacks XV and the whole match against Spain in November, during which time he knocked over two conversions.

The 24-year-old Atkinson has built up a sizeable amount of experience, first with Wasps who he made his debut for at 18, then with Leicester Tigers, and now Gloucester who he joined in 2023. He is certainly on the radar with Borthwick, having made his England debut against the USA in Washington this July.

One thing that will certainly boost his chances of further honours is to fully establish himself as Gloucester’s flyhalf. At the moment, he is behind Ross Byrne, and while Atkinson has more to offer than the Irishman, until he controls matches in the same way then more often than not, he will start on the bench.

Sam Worsley – Bristol Bears

The Bristol Bears man didn’t hung around before he snatched his chance after AJ Macginty went down with injury. He has played five times in the PREM this season and completed the full 80 minutes for the Bears’ last three PREM matches and came off after 68 in the Bears’ Champions Cup opener.

Worsley, 22, has slotted seamlessly into Pat Lam’s open style, which has been useful as Bristol have been hit with some hefty injuries this season. Worsley has shown he can move his team around the field and bring out the best of those outside him. Fans favourite James Williams recently returned at inside centre, and with Bernard Janse van Rensburg in the outside centre channel he will receive plenty of guidance from their experienced heads.

It helps that the pack is competing well, and once Harry Randell comes back at scrumhalf, Worsley will have the chance to show what he can do with fast ball galore.

Harvey Skinner – Exeter Chiefs

Skinner’s performances this season have helped Exeter Chiefs back to top end of PREM Rugby after a ninth place finish last season.

Flyhalf was becoming a long-term problem for Rob Baxter’s side after Joe Simmonds departure to Pau in 2023, but Skinner’s performances have had the bonus of keeping Henry Slade in his favoured outside centre role, with the subsequent upturn in his performances for club and country.

The 27-year-old joined Chiefs in 2015 and made his senior debut in 2016, but he had to wait until 2020 to make his PREM Rugby bow. He has also gone on loan to Cornish Pirates and Plymouth Albion, but with Gareth Steenson and Simmonds ahead of him, he struggled for game time.

Now though, he is untouched as Exeter’s number 10, and while Slade is still place kicking, he weighed in with another try against Toyota Cheetahs to keep his points tally ticking over.

Billy Searle – Leicester Tigers

The 29-year-old has packed plenty of experience into a career that began in the lower leagues with Bristol Bears, Launceston, and Plymouth Albion, before Wasps came calling. From there Worcester Warriors and Bath followed.

Searle later chanced his luck in France with Toulouse, Biarritz, and Agen, but he couldn’t turn down the siren call of Leicester Tigers.

This season he has played nine times, and scored 56 points, all with his boot. The Exeter-born player has had to be patient as James O’Connor was given the starting role, but he came off the bench to kick a last minute penalty to beat Bath, something that Tigers fans will always appreciate.