England’s preparations for the Nations Championship home opener against Australia on 8 November have been hit by uncertainty surrounding fly-half Fin Smith. The 24-year-old, who has established himself as the primary choice for the number 10 jersey, sustained a calf injury during the second half of Northampton’s match against Leicester this past Saturday.
As a result, Smith has been ruled out of the national squad’s three-day training camp in Bagshot this week. England’s management remains optimistic regarding his availability for the Wallabies fixture, though the disruption to preparations is significant given his instrumental role in Northampton’s recent domestic title success and his participation in all three of England’s July Tests.
In response to the setback, Steve Borthwick has called up Gloucester’s Charlie Atkinson as cover. Atkinson joins a fly-half cohort that already includes Marcus Smith and George Ford. Marcus Smith has not started an England match in the position since the 2025 Six Nations opener against Ireland in Dublin, while Fin Smith has held the spot since taking over from Ford later in that tournament. Since deposing Ford after England’s defeat against Ireland in the Six Nations, Fin Smith has staked a firm claim and is very much the man in possession of the 10 jersey.
An official update on Smith’s status is expected Tuesday. He is not the only player under scrutiny; Bath’s Guy Pepper is being monitored after appearing to be in discomfort during a match against Gloucester, and Benhard Janse van Rensburg remains unavailable following a severe concussion sustained in the early part of the season.
The squad also faces uncertainty at center, with Seb Atkinson unable to train this week, though he has not been ruled out of Gloucester’s upcoming match against Northampton. Borthwick is currently weighing his options among specialist centers including Henry Slade, Joe Marchant, Max Ojomoh, and Fraser Dingwall ahead of the formal squad announcement next Monday.
For Marchant, the call-up represents a return to the international fold for the first time since the 2023 World Cup. After a stint with Stade Français in Paris, he is now eligible for selection again following his move to Sale Sharks. The 30-year-old expressed his enduring ambition to represent his country, stating: “When I was a kid I wanted to play for England and that’s not changed.” Marchant, who married Hollie Shearer earlier this year, remains hopeful of securing a place in the squad for next year’s World Cup in Australia. With limited preparation time available, there will inevitably be some disruption to Steve Borthwick’s plans, england’s management say they remain hopeful he will be back in time to face Australia but.
