Alex Mitchell has been ruled out of England’s crucial Six Nations match against Scotland on Saturday with a knee injury, dealing Steve Borthwick a major setback as he plots his side’s first Calcutta Cup win in four years.

Mitchell’s participation in the remaining tournament matches is uncertain as he will undergo additional tests. However, his absence from the Murrayfield game is a major setback for the team.

The 26-year-old player has been included in England’s starting lineup for both of their championship matches this year. Despite suffering from an infected wound on his leg, he was able to play in their first game against Italy and scored a crucial try in the second half. He then went on to face Wales at Twickenham. Due to Marcus Smith’s calf injury, the two half-backs that coach Borthwick wanted to start at the beginning of the championship are unable to play.

In the absence of Mitchell, Danny Care is the top choice for the No 9 position against Scotland and is on track for his 99th cap, having been a substitute in both the Italy and Wales matches.

Ben Spencer, who has previously served as the third scrum-half on the team, may have a chance to play for England again since the 2019 World Cup final. He could potentially earn his fifth cap against Scotland, although Harry Randall has also been selected for the 36-man squad. Despite his limited experience with only six caps, the Bristol scrum-half was recently named to the England A squad for their match against Portugal on February 25. However, the retirement of Ben Youngs after the World Cup has brought attention to England’s shortage of depth in the scrum-half position.

Mitchell has decided to withdraw due to an injury he sustained during England’s training session at Twickenham. The session was attended by 10,000 spectators and took place on Friday. This season, Mitchell has been performing well for Northampton and has played a key role in helping the team reach the top of the Premiership and advance to the knockout rounds of the Champions Cup. He was also given the responsibility of revamping England’s attack for the upcoming Six Nations tournament.

Mitchell solidified his position as the primary scrum-half for England during the World Cup, playing in every game except for the pool-stage win against Chile and the bronze-medal victory against Argentina, both of which he sat out for rest. Although he was initially dropped from a larger squad earlier in the summer, an injury to Jack van Poortvliet gave him another opportunity and he made the most of it.

According to a recent report from The Guardian, there is good news for Borthwick as Ollie Lawrence has been cleared to join the team after completing his rehabilitation last week. The 24-year-old center brings more strength to England’s midfield and adds depth to their choices, along with Manu Tuilagi who is also now available after missing the first two games due to a hip injury. Smith will once again join the team for continued rehabilitation, but there is no set timeline for his return.

Source: theguardian.com