Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
KNIGHT RISER
Former Swinton star Atkin on his England call-up and why more Championship players can follow in his footsteps
CHRIS ATKIN says there are more potential top-flight players in the Championship after going from Swinton Lion to England Knight in eight months.
Half-back Atkin was still running out for the part-time Lions in July, before a move to Hull KR that led to last week’s international call-up.
It is a rapid rise for the 25-yearold, who had to rebui l d hi s career when he was released by hometown Widnes as a teenager.
And he belie ves there are others in the second tier capable of following in his footsteps.
Atkin told Mirror
Sport: “This time last year I was at Swinton and solely focused on having a good season n with them. Then the e opportunity came to o join Hull KR , I went t there early and i t ’s s been a whirlwind few months. There are definitely other players in the Championship who can make it.
“With the way rugby league is structured at the moment, the Championship is a high-quality league with a lot of lads a similar age to me who have played in Super League academies before.
“There are other lads in that set-up who can make the step up, they just need an opportunity to prove themselves.
“I came through the academy at Widnes until I was 19, and back then the goal was to play first team with them. But things change and at the time it was probably the right decision by them, as there was Tom Gilmore and Danny Craven who were a similar age and more likely to push for a first-team spot.
“I had to go on my own journey and that’s probably helped me get where I am today.”
Atkin is determined to keep his feet firmly on the ground following his inclusion in Paul Anderson’s England Knights squad.
He said: “It was definitely a surprise when I got the phone call. I’m quite tough on myself and my performances, and I’ve h had to learn I’ll make m mistakes and it’s what I do after those that’s i important.
“Every game for me t this season is a bonus, I ’m loving every m minute of playing at t this level.”
He is now hoping to p play his part tonight in R Rovers kick-starting a difficult beginning to the season at Huddersfield. He added: “They look like they ’re finding their feet but we go there with confidence.”