Alex Mitchell OUT! Ranking Steve Borthwick’s scrum-half options for Italy as opportunity to ‘deploy a cunning ploy’ emerges
Alex Mitchell (left) will miss the rest of the Six Nations through injury, but that could see Raffi Quirke (centre) or Jack van Poortvliet (right) come into the starting side
England will be without scrum-half Alex Mitchell for the rest of the Six Nations, with the Northampton Saints man suffering a hamstring injury in their defeat to Ireland.
Mitchell has quickly positioned himself as Steve Borthwick’s go-to option at scrum-half in recent times, starting 12 of the last 15 Tests and only missed out on the summer tour after being called into the British and Irish Lions squad for their tour of Australia, but will now miss their upcoming Six Nations Tests against Italy and France.
Raffi Quirke has since joined the wider training squad.
But, with Mitchell now unavailable, Borthwick will have to find a replacement quickly; but who does he turn to? Well, here’s our take on the leading options.
Front-runner: Jack van Poortvliet
After usurping Ben Spencer as the replacement nine last weekend, it seems very likely that Jack van Poortvliet will come into the starting XV to face Italy in Mitchell’s absence. The Leicester Tigers back has had to bide his time at Test level in recent years after initially cementing himself into the starting role, with just seven appearances to his name at this level since his pre-World Cup injury in 2023, but he is looking very much the player who broke into the Test picture in the first place.
That was notable even in defeat last weekend, where he replaced the stricken Mitchell in the first-half, with a lot of England’s good bits coming via a Van Poortvliet injection. He is certainly a different type of player to Mitchell, even in his slightly changed role in this Test side, but that’s not a criticism, with Van Poortvliet’s control of the ruck and accurate kicking likely to suit the style Borthwick wants against Italy.
This also feels like a real chance to lock himself firmly into Borthwick’s squad both in the short-term future but also with one eye on the 2027 World Cup. Mitchell and Spencer have held somewhat of a duopoly over the respective nine and 21/22 shirts since the start of last year, while Harry Randall has also been included over the Leicester ace on occasion as well. It’s a big opportunity for him to again show his value at Test level once more.
In the mix: Ben Spencer
Bath captain Spencer has been the stand-in for Mitchell in the past and served as his back-up to good effect in recent outings, but his axing for Van Poortvliet does suggest he is playing second-fiddle to the Leicester ace this weekend as well.
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It was a big call by Borthwick to take Spencer out of the 23 last weekend, given he had previously been a mainstay across their winning run after working his way back into the side, but does it point to him being back down the pecking order again?
That said, though, Spencer’s skillset would really suit the run-on group, and this could be a way to force himself back into Borthwick’s wider plans. He is built more in the mould of the French number nine in that he steps in as the playmaker-in-chief, and while England don’t typically play that way it could give a new lease of life to the attack. Having him take the load in the early stages will allow whichever fly-half starts against Italy to sit back in those slightly deeper pockets of space where they can scan the play before properly pulling the trigger and stepping into the game; something both George Ford and Fin Smith like to do.
Crucially, he will also act as an extra leader on the pitch, which is only a positive thing for England given their recent form.
Outside bet: Raffi Quirke
After another stint on the sidelines, Quirke is back in the Test picture, which could allow Borthwick to use a cunning ploy. Quirke is, of course, a scrum-half by trade, and will add some serious quality should he be given a role in the 23 at nine, but his ability to cover wing also makes him the perfect option on the bench.
Quirke has previously trained on the wing in England camps during opposed sessions and has tasted decent gametime out wide for Sale Sharks too, with the possibility of him being used in this hybrid role at Test level a real possibility. It’s also by no means a gimmick, with his raw pace and quick-feet making him a real threat in those wide channels, while his time at nine also means he can read both the game and space differently to out-and-out wingers.
Having a second scrum-half has become essential in the Test game, but having one that can also cover different positions across the backline is gold dust, and could even allow Borthwick to go for a 7:1 split if he so wishes, something he has previously teased in the past.
Could it be the perfect match for this system?
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