England scrum-half Alex Mitchell has been ruled out of the entire Nations Championship campaign after suffering his fourth hamstring injury of the year. According to the BBC and The Guardian, the Northampton player limped off during the first half of his club's victory over Gloucester on Saturday, 31 October 2026. A scan on Monday, 2 November 2026, confirmed that he will miss upcoming matches against Australia, Japan, and New Zealand.
For Mitchell, this is the fourth time in 2026 he has sustained a hamstring injury, following previous issues during the Six Nations, an England camp in May, and a summer Test against Fiji. With Mitchell sidelined, Leicester's Jack van Poortvliet is expected to start at scrum-half against Australia on Sunday, 8 November 2026, while Ben Spencer and Harry Randall provide additional options.
England head coach Steve Borthwick faces other selection concerns ahead of the opening match. Fly-half Fin Smith participated in limited running drills on Monday as he recovers from a calf problem, though England remains optimistic about his fitness. Meanwhile, Bath back-rowers Guy Pepper and Sam Underhill, rookie hooker Kepu Tuipulotu, and Bristol centre Benhard Janse van Rensburg are also absent, while Northampton scrum-half Archie McParland withdrew with a calf injury. Borthwick is scheduled to name his team to face Australia on Friday, 6 November 2026.