Alex Mitchell ruled out of England Autumn Tests
Alex Mitchell will miss all four Nations Championship autumn Tests after suffering another hamstring injury playing for Northampton.
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England scrum-half Alex Mitchell has been ruled out of the entire November Nations Championship campaign after scans confirmed a hamstring injury sustained while playing for Northampton Saints.
The British and Irish Lions international will miss England's four autumn Tests, dealing a setback to head coach Steve Borthwick's preparations.
Alex Mitchell Suffers Fourth Hamstring Injury of 2026
Mitchell sustained the injury during Northampton's 28–14 Gallagher PREM victory over Gloucester on October 31. He left the field after approximately 21 minutes, with subsequent medical scans confirming that he would miss England's November fixtures.
It is Mitchell's fourth hamstring injury of 2026, continuing a difficult year for the scrum-half.
Jack van Poortvliet is expected to start at scrum-half against Australia, while Ben Spencer and Harry Randall are competing for a place on the replacements bench.
Fin Smith Faces Fitness Race for Australia Test
Northampton fly-half Fin Smith is also facing uncertainty ahead of Sunday's clash against Australia at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham.
Smith is recovering from his second calf injury of the year, with Borthwick expected to assess his fitness by Wednesday, November 4.
George Ford and Marcus Smith remain available as alternative fly-half options if Smith fails to recover in time.
Fellow Northampton scrum-half Archie McParland is also sidelined with a calf problem but could return for England's subsequent fixtures against Japan or New Zealand.
