England scrum-half Alex Mitchell has been ruled out of the entire Nations Championship after sustaining his fourth hamstring injury this year. The 29-year-old Northampton player, who limped off during his club’s victory over Gloucester last Saturday, will be unavailable for England’s upcoming matches against Australia, Japan, and New Zealand. Rugby Union Weekly: Can England afford to lose to Australia. You don’t want to see your mate and a player who is a massive part of this group out.
The injury setback was anticipated after Mitchell was forced off in the first half of Northampton’s 28-14 win against the Cherry and Whites. He now faces a prolonged rehabilitation period to address his recurring fitness issues, having already dealt with three previous hamstring injuries throughout 2026.
Teammate Tommy Freeman described the news as “gutting” for the group.
He noted that while Mitchell’s playing ability and personality will be missed, the extended break provides an opportunity for the scrum-half to find long-term solutions to his recovery. “It will definitely give him time to go after his rehab and get to the bottom of what is going on,” Freeman said, adding that Mitchell remains a significant influence in the squad.
In the wake of Mitchell’s withdrawal, England have called up Bath’s Ben Spencer and Bristol Bears’ Harry Randall. Leicester’s Jack van Poortvliet, who featured in all three of England’s summer Tests, is widely considered the favorite to start at nine. Meanwhile, 21-year-old Northampton scrum-half Archie McParland has also exited the training camp due to a calf injury.
Fly-half Fin Smith is managing a separate calf issue but remains in contention for Sunday’s match against the Wallabies. While his training participation has been limited, Freeman noted that Smith is “pretty optimistic” and remains actively involved in team meetings. He took part, however, in running drills on arrival in camp, with England sources remaining optimistic about his chances of being fit for Sunday’s showdown with the Wallabies. He’s joining in with meetings and giving good points so he’s very much involved and that shows the character he is,” he added.
Other squad updates include hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie and flanker Tom Curry, both of whom participated in modified training sessions at the team’s Bagshot base on Tuesday and are expected to be available for selection. Head coach Steve Borthwick is set to announce his final lineup for the Australia clash this Friday.
