What changed
Gloucester have opened their Premiership campaign with two bonus-point wins and moved to the top of the table. They beat Exeter in the opening match, then crushed Harlequins 48-0, with Charlie Atkinson helping lead a side that finished eighth last season.
Atkinson’s own route to Kingsholm has been almost as eventful. After Wasps entered administration in 2022 and a difficult season at Leicester, he joined Gloucester, where recent arrivals including Jac Morgan, Dewi Lake and Jean Kleyn have helped add power to a young squad.
Why it matters
Gloucester’s start looks like more than a lucky bounce. They have combined strength in the pack with attacking skill behind it, and the Harlequins result gave their home crowd a very clear signal: this team can turn pressure into points quickly.
Atkinson has found stability after losing the only club he had known at Wasps, then being pushed to the margins at Leicester. His form now gives Gloucester a confident fly-half and puts him back in the England conversation, though further opportunities are not guaranteed. He has one cap, earned against the United States in 2025.
The next test arrives on Friday, when Atkinson returns to Leicester. Gloucester are top for now. Whether they can stay there is the question, and this trip should offer a sharper answer than either opening victory.
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