Category: Rugby

Sunday’s hosts need to stop looking for excuses and focus on what they can control to kick off the Nations Championsip against battle-hardened Australia

Several things are increasingly guaranteed from an English rugby perspective around this time of year. Bang on cue the injury news and the weather both start to worsen. Cracks in the relationship between the players and their head coach, in this case Steve Borthwick, begin to surface. And as the crowds stream up from Twickenham railway station past the biltong and burger stalls, no one has much idea what to expect.

This year it has been the same old story. Particularly on the injury front. If Tom Curry, Alex Mitchell and Archie McParland had not all been hurt on the Bagshot training pitch, all three would probably be in England’s matchday 23. With Guy Pepper, Benhard van Rensburg, Sam Underhill, Kepu Tuipulotu and Chandler Cunningham-South also out of the running, the squad is not quite as fizzing with energy and dynamism as it might be.

• Maro Itoje captains England after missing summer Tests

• Concerns Tom Curry may miss all Nations Championship

Fin Smith has successfully come through his final fitness Test to be named at fly-half for England’s autumn opener against Australia while Ben Curry is selected at openside flanker for the first time since the summer of 2025.

Steve Borthwick has made four changes to the side that beat Argentina in July with George Furbank also coming in at fullback, Maro Itoje returning to captain the side and Fin Baxter getting the nod at loosehead prop. The Exeter back-row Greg Fisilau is in line for a debut from the bench.

• RFU chief Bill Sweeney offers full support to Borthwick

• England boosted by fly-half Fin Smith returning to training

Steve Borthwick has been given the Rugby Football Union’s ­unequivocal backing to lead England into next year’s World Cup even if the side flop this autumn.

In September Borthwick’s contract was extended to after the 2028 Six Nations, despite England’s worst ever Six Nations performance this year, to avoid speculation in the buildup to next year’s tournament. But the head coach remains under pressure on the back of five defeats in the last seven matches.

• Smith’s calf injury to be tested in training on Wednesday

• Alex Mitchell ruled out of Nations Championship finals

Fin Smith faces a make-or-break training session on Wednesday to prove his fitness for the No 10 jersey in England’s autumn opener against Australia on Sunday, amid cautious optimism the Northampton playmaker will come through unscathed.

Smith sustained a calf injury in Northampton’s derby defeat by Leicester last month and the England head coach, Steve Borthwick, has been sweating on his fitness ever since. Smith’s Northampton half-back partner, Alex Mitchell, meanwhile, has been ruled out of England’s entire autumn campaign owing to his latest hamstring injury.

• Scrum-half out of game against Australia on Sunday

• Wallabies match followed by New Zealand and Japan

The Northampton scrum-half Alex Mitchell has been ruled out of England’s November opener against Australia on Sunday, with Bristol’s Harry Randall and Bath’s Ben Spencer called into the squad named by the head coach, Steve Borthwick.

Mitchell, established as the first‑choice No 9 under Borthwick, damaged a hamstring in Northampton’s Prem win against Gloucester on Saturday and will have a scan on Tuesday to determine the extent of the injury.