England get major boost as Mitchell fit for Six Nations opener with Ireland

England have been handed a major boost before Saturday’s Six Nations opener against Ireland with the scrum-half Alex Mitchell passed fit for the trip to Dublin. Mitchell was absent throughout England’s disappointing autumn campaign but his return to fitness is a significant shot in the arm for Steve Borthwick.

Mitchell has been nursing a knee injury, having picked up in Northampton’s Champions Cup victory over Munster, and was unable to train last week but took a full part in Monday’s session and is considered ready for England’s daunting trip to Dublin. He was sorely missed in November, having been sidelined with a neck injury.

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It is understood that the in-form No 8 Tom Willis is also set for a second cap and his first involvement since an appearance off the bench in the 2023 World Cup warm-up defeat by Wales in Cardiff. Willis has been in outstanding form for Saracens and while a spot among the replacements is most likely against Ireland, a place in the 23 is just reward for his recent performances.

The 26-year-old was overlooked for the autumn internationals despite beginning the season with Saracens in impressive style. Formerly of Wasps, Willis – who is two years younger than brother and Toulouse flanker Jack – joined Bordeaux in November 2022 before returning to England with Saracens in the summer of 2023. And with Alex Dombrandt among the injury absentees, Willis is set for a long-awaited second cap.

Elsewhere, Marcus Smith is expected to continue at fly-half, reprising his halfback partnership with Mitchell, with Freddie Steward coming back into the side at full-back with George Furbank sidelined with a broken arm. Borthwick has said he was considering shifting Smith to the No 15 and deploying Steward on the wing but that is now a more likely prospect either in the second half against Ireland or later in the tournament.

Mitchell’s recovery will be welcomed by Borthwick. Ben Spencer and Jack van Poortvliet – who is currently out with a knee injury – both started in the autumn but both struggled to impose themselves. Mitchell, meanwhile, has emerged as a key part of Borthwick starting XV having been handed a reprieve to join the 2023 World Cup squad. His return to training means his Northampton teammate Henry Pollock has left the squad currently training in Giona to join up with the under-20s. With Spencer, Raffi Quirke and Harry Randall also in the squad, there appears to be a three-way shootout for the back-up scrum-half spot in Dublin.

While Borthwick is expected to name a settled backline, with Henry Slade and Ollie Lawrence set to continue in the centres, he has a decision to make on the wing with Immanuel Feyi-Waboso injured after undergoing shoulder surgery.

Tommy Freeman is set to start on one wing with Ollie Sleightholme the most likely choice on the other after starting against South Africa and Japan in November when Feyi-Waboso was nursing a head injury. Tom Roebuck is another option, however, as is Elliot Daly who also suffered an untimely injury during the autumn.