Scrumhalf boost for England ahead of Six Nations opener
INJURY UPDATE: England’s prospects of causing an upset against Ireland have improved after scrumhalf Alex Mitchell was cleared to take part in the Six Nations opener in Dublin.
Mitchell became a doubt for Saturday’s Lansdowne Road showdown after suffering a knee injury on European duty for Northampton Saints against Munster on January 18.
But England’s first-choice scrumhalf has now been added to the 36-man squad that is in Girona preparing for the match, clearing the path for his return against the tournament favourites.
Mitchell replaces uncapped Saints teammate Henry Pollock in the squad and is expected to be given the No.9 jersey when head coach Steve Borthwick names his team on Thursday.
It will be his first appearance since facing New Zealand in Auckland in July after a neck injury ruled him out of the entire November series.
Mitchell’s importance to England was underlined throughout November when his threat around the fringes and smart decision making were sorely missed in defeats to the All Blacks, Australia and South Africa.
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In his absence none of the alternatives in the position – Ben Spencer, Harry Randall and Jack van Poortvliet – were convincing and the hierarchy below him remains uncertain.
Spencer, Randall and Raffi Quirke are competing to provide scrumhalf cover from the bench with Van Poortvliet ruled out against Ireland though injury.
Mitchell is expected to be paired alongside Marcus Smith at scrumhalf with the Harlequins playmaker likely to continue where he left off in the autumn by pulling the strings at No.10.
Smith was England’s most inventive player throughout November but there were misgivings over his ability to release his backline – a skill that has been displayed by his chief rival for the jersey Fin Smith.
Fin Smith is likely to be picked on the bench with Freddie Steward present at fullback in the absence of George Furbank, who has a fractured arm.
The trip to Dublin will be the first time England have been led by Maro Itoje after the Saracens lock was chosen as captain for the Six Nations in place of Jamie George.
