Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Ben Spencer and Harry Randall have 19 and 14 England caps respectively
ByMike HensonBBC Sport rugby union news reporter- Published11 minutes ago
Ben Spencer and Harry Randall have been named in England's squad for this month's Nations Championship after injury ruled Northampton nines Alex Mitchell and Archie McParland out of Sunday's match with Australia.
Mitchell pulled up with a hamstring issue in Saints' win over Gloucester on Saturday, while uncapped prospect McParland, 21, picked up a calf injury in last week's training camp.
McParland, who would have toured with England in July but for a severe cut to his leg in the Prem final win over Exeter, could still be in contention for England's matches against Japan and New Zealand on 14 and 21 November respectively.
Mitchell will have a scan on his hamstring on Monday to assess the extent of his injury and subsequent lay-off.
The 29-year-old has suffered three previous hamstring injuries already this year.
Leicester's Jack van Poortvliet, who started all three of England's summer Tests, seems set to continue as first-choice scrum-half.
England are facing a possible change at fly-half, with first-choice Fin Smith struggling with a calf problem and Marcus Smith and George Ford competing to deputise in his possible absence.
Elsewhere Saracens' Theo Dan has seen off competition from Nathan Jibulu, Jamie Blamire and Gabriel Oghre to secure the third hooker spot in the squad.
Dan comes in in place of Bath's Kepu Tuipulotu who, like McParland, picked up an injury during last week's three-day training camp.
Gloucester centre Seb Atkinson and Exeter wing Immanuel Feyi-Waboso are also included after successfully negotiating injury comebacks for their clubs this weekend.
Midfield is the area of most selection intrigue with Gloucester's Will Joseph, who won his solitary previous cap back in 2022, and Sale's Joe Marchant, who has returned to eligibility after three seasons playing in France, included.
Bath centre pair Ollie Lawrence and Max Ojomoh, who both starred in last autumn's clean sweep, are omitted and there is no space for 20-year-old Saracens wing Noah Caluori.
After the matches against Australia, Japan and New Zealand, England will play a fourth Test against an as-yet-undecided southern hemisphere opponent in the play-off finals weekend of the new Nations Championship format.
England v Australia
Nations Championship
Sunday 8 November, 15:10 GMT
Allianz Stadium, Twickenham
Listen on SoundsLive commentary on BBC Sports Extra, BBC Sport website and app
England's Nations Championship squad
Forwards
Fin Baxter (Harlequins), Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers), Arthur Clark (Gloucester Rugby), Alex Coles (Northampton Saints), Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks), Ben Curry (Sale Sharks), Tom Curry (Sale Sharks), Theo Dan (Saracens), Ben Earl (Saracens), Greg Fisilau (Exeter Chiefs), Jamie George (Saracens), Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears), Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers), Maro Itoje (Saracens), Emmanuel Iyogun (Northampton Saints), George Martin (Saracens), Asher Opoku-Fordjour (Sale Sharks), Tom Pearson (Northampton Saints), Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints), Will Stuart (Bath Rugby).
Backs
Seb Atkinson (Gloucester Rugby), Fraser Dingwall (Northampton Saints), Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (Exeter Chiefs), George Ford (Sale Sharks), Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints), George Furbank (Harlequins), Will Joseph (Gloucester Rugby), Joe Marchant (Sale Sharks), Cadan Murley (Harlequins), Harry Randall (Bristol Bears), Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs), Fin Smith (Northampton Saints), Marcus Smith (Harlequins), Ben Spencer (Bath Rugby), Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers), Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers).
