Seb Atkinson is ready to leave his mark on a player who has influenced his own game when he collides with Damian de Allende in England’s clash with South Africa on Saturday.
Atkinson made his Gallagher Prem debut against Manu Tuilagi and then faced Springbok giant Andre Esterhuizen in his first league start, but at Ellis Park awaits arguably a tougher assignment than either of those midfield juggernauts.
De Allende has been a mainstay of South Africa’s successive World Cup triumphs and with 97 caps the 6’2”, 17 stone inside centre has the experience to match his physical prowess.
Atkinson is also an imposing presence and the rising 23-year-old Gloucester star sees other common ground as well.
“The last few years I’ve been watching him and a couple of the other South African players play, particularly in my position,” Atkinson said. “I’ve played against Andre Esterhuizen in the Prem, so similar vibes.
“Damian de Allende’s a great ball carrier and he’s got the ability to ball play as well – so similar things to what I’ve been going after in my game for the last few years.
“I’m not going to try and copy him, but he’s a great centre and inspired me along my rugby journey to bring out some bits in my own game.
“It looks like he understands what he’s about really well and he’s always continuing to develop that, but also not trying to reinvent himself.
“Just him being unapologetically himself is probably something that’s got him as far as he has.
“Can you be you on the biggest stage? I try to do that personally and when you come up against these guys yes, they’re great players, but you also want to make sure that you’re being yourself.
“I’ve always viewed myself as a very balanced rugby player by trying to make the right decision at the right time.
“If you are able to do that against the best players in the world, then that’ll only push it on even further. It will be exciting to test myself against the best on Saturday.”
Atkinson is known as the fittest man in rugby having set the sport’s world record of four minutes, eight seconds in the ‘Bronco Test’, a gruelling conditioning drill involving repeat short-distance sprints.
With Ellis Park 1,753 metres above sea level, England have been been tailoring their training to competing at altitude both before and since their arrival in Johannesburg.
“Every now and again you notice that you’re breathing a little bit harder than you normally would, but we’ll acclimatise over the next few days and we already have,” Atkinson said.
“I’d say Monday was our first session where you probably didn’t notice it as much, but definitely when I first got out here I thought it was quite interesting.
“Maybe it’s another thing to add to my training plan when I get back, just to give me that little bit of an edge and take a few seconds off my Bronco time!”
