The Cherry and Whites have a generation of young English players growing in importance at the club

Jack Tozer and John Evely Sports Writer

14:21, 02 Dec 2025

Ben Redshaw of Gloucester breaks away to score a try (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)

While Gloucester Rugby didn’t have any players in the England squad this summer, Cherry and Whites director of rugby George Skivington is convinced he has some of the most exciting young English talent in the Gallagher PREM bursting through the ranks.

Gloucester rugby beat Harlequins 26-15 in Round Six of the Gallagher Premiership at Kingsholm on Saturday to record their first win of the league campaign, and the likes of 23-year-old centre Seb Atkinson and 20-year-old Ben Redshaw were two of the shining lights.

READ MORE: Gloucester Rugby player ratings from Harlequins win – ‘Answered his critics’

Add to that 23-year-old one-cap centre Will Joseph, 21-year-old Afolabi Fasogbon, and the currently injured 23-year-old Arthur Clark, and suddenly you have a new generation of stars pushing for international honours.

Two tries from Redshaw and one each from Lewis Ludlow on his 250th appearance and Ollie Thorley on his 150th for the club steered the Cherry and Whites to victory.

It was a positive afternoon even before the first whistle for Gloucester as the game marked the return of some of Skivington’s biggest assets, with Ludlow, Joseph, Ollie Thorley, and Val Rapava-Ruskin all returning after a varied period of absence.

Speaking on the win coinciding with the returns, Skivington said: “I think it’s no coincidence at all. Let’s be honest, we can say we came up with the best tactics in the world, but we’ve got some of our best players back.

“Obviously, we lost a few players during this block as well, but I think now were seeing Val (Rapava-Ruskin), Luds (Ludlow), and Thorlo (Thorley) back after having a few games out is big”

Another huge bolster to Gloucester’s starting 15 saw the reintroduction of England international Seb Atkinson who returned with a solid performance. Speaking on the centre, Skivington said: “I think Seb’s brilliant, outside Ross (Byrne) or for any 10, he’s an unbelievable communicator. He might be the best communicator in England on the field in terms of that.

“I thought he carried unbelievably well today, he was smashing up and making yards every time, so he’s another amazing individual. He’s the guy you want to build things around and that’s why he’s got the vice captaincy role this year. He’s a really important person”

After missing out on an England call up for their Quilter Nations Series games, Skivington admitted that if the centre had “been fit, I think he’s in the (England) squad for the autumn and he’s probably playing that last game at least.”

He also revealed the 23-year-old “did a great job” to keep motivated despite the frustrations of missing out. “You never know with Seb,” he said.

“He’s a tough lad and deals with things pretty well and he takes it for what it is, and he controls what he can control, and the rest of it, he’s not too worried about.”

With England winning all four of their Quilter Nation series matches this Autumn, more competition has arisen for the Gloucester player; however, his director of rugby believes the centre has what it takes to break into an England side packed with quality.

“From my point of view, all our conversations were good. I think he was focused. We had a laugh at how well Max Ojomoh played in that game (England vs Argentina) straight after which I think you got to do”

Looking ahead for the young English talent, Skivington was full of promise when talking about his future in a Red Roses shirt.

“I think he knows there’s another challenge laid there, now there’s another 12 in the mix, but he’s the sort of bloke who’s going to find a way.”

Reflecting on the display of full back Redshaw, who made his first start at home in the Gallagher PREM after overcoming a foot injury he suffered while on England duty, Skivington said:

“We made some big decisions to go down the youth route when we recruited last year, and I think people have underestimated Will Joseph and Ben Redshaw when we signed them, which is fair enough; they might not be players people know a massive amount about. But when we signed them, we knew if we give them a year or two it is going to be a pretty tasty backline and hopefully it is a pretty tasty backline now.

“I thought Ben Redshaw showed what we knew he could do when we signed him. And he is only just coming back from his injury so hopefully he will get even better than that.”