Ben Spencer out? Ranking eight England scrum-half options as Steve Borthwick faces ‘big question’ in key area
Ben Spencer (left) has emerged as a possible injury issue for England
Bath scrum-half Ben Spencer has emerged as a possible doubt for England’s Nations Championship Tests in November, with the 34-year-old set to miss the early rounds of the season.
Spencer, who featured once in England’s July campaign, underwent surgery in the off-season to correct a long-standing shoulder injury, and his club have confirmed he is likely to be fit later in the autumn.
“Ben had shoulder surgery to address a long-standing issue following the conclusion of England’s summer tour,” the West Country side said, as part of an extended injury update ahead of the new season.
“Ben will not be available for the opening rounds of the Gallagher PREM. He will return later in the autumn.”
However, that timeframe leaves him in a race against time to be fit for England’s November Tests against Australia, Japan and New Zealand, and could see Steve Borthwick look across his depth chart as well.
Here is our take on the options the England boss has at his disposal at scrum-half, with Spencer a doubt.
Test players: Alex Mitchell, Jack van Poortvliet
The clear front-runners for Test shirts, be it in the starting XV or on the bench, are Alex Mitchell and Jack van Poortvliet. This pairing was England’s preferred option at the start of the Nations Championship, even with Mitchell’s injury issues before he then withdrew through another hamstring concern, and they will likely be so again heading into this World Cup season.
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Mitchell has positioned himself at the top of the scrum-half depth chart in recent years, and is the likely candidate to start come November too. Crucially, he also seems to fit England’s new attacking mould really well, and has a strong pre-existing combination with Fin Smith for good measure.
Van Poortvliet being handed an enhanced EPS contract earlier this month is further proof of his standing within this England squad right now, after a strong Nations Championship campaign. The Leicester man has also steadily shifted his game towards that attacking style England want to play with, and across July seemed to gel quickly with Smith and Seb Atkinson in that new-look playmaking axis.
These two seem the likely options to play in the November Tests, but in which combination do they feature?
In the mix: Archie McParland, Raffi Quirke
With Spencer possibly out, Borthwick’s big question is who is the next man in? It feels like either Archie McParland or Raffi Quirke could be the answer he’s looking for.
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Newcastle Red Bulls recruit Quirke was a late inclusion into the England touring squad back in July, following Mitchell’s injury concerns, and has been edging towards a Test return across the past year with various call-ups both for the senior squad and England A/XV.
Northampton Saints ace McParland was also very much in the picture at the end of last season, especially with Spencer primed for an extended rest. An injury in his side’s PREM final win over Exeter Chiefs quickly brought an end to his tour hopes, and Spencer’s rest period, but you should think he will be lined up for a call-up come November if the Bath man is unavailable.
You feel both men need a strong start to the season to really make a strong case, especially if Spencer’s absence is shorter than expected, but they will be in Borthwick’s mind right now.
Outside bets: Harry Randall, Charlie Bracken
Elsewhere, Harry Randall and Charlie Bracken also seem very viable options for Borthwick to turn to come November. Again, the pair have both been involved with the senior squad in recent months, with Randall even starting for England XV in the pre-tour meeting with France XV and Bracken invited to various alignment camps, and England’s shift in attack could suit both of them nicely.
Randall is an interesting case, though, considering he has been dipped in and out of the Test side since his debut in 2021. There is no questioning his quality, and he is arguably the beating heart of Bristol Bears’ all-out attacking play, but England have consistently used him in a different way, which hasn’t borne fruit. Injuries also played their part last season, so if he can string together a good run of games in the PREM, and impress, Borthwick might look to bring him back into the mix.
Bracken is still very much a developing player, but he seems primed for a big year with Saracens after enjoying some good minutes last time out. His fast-tracking into the senior squad would have also helped his progression.
Bolters: Lucas Friday, Caolan Englefield
Potentially sitting underneath the aforementioned group are Lucas Friday and Caolan Englefield, but it’s not impossible to think either of them can break into the fold.
Harlequins man Friday is another very exciting prospect at scrum-half, and is coming into the new season off the back of his proper breakthrough campaign too. England have also shown they are willing to give youngsters a go in recent years, capping both Henry Pollock and Noah Caluori in the same season as they played for the U20s and fast-tracking Bracken into the extended squad as well, and Friday could be the latest recipient of that.
Gloucester ace Englefield has flirted with the Test squad in previous years, featuring for England A on numerous occasions as a result, but like some of the names above, he is set for a big year as the Cherry and Whites’ main man after the exit of Tomos Williams. It’ll be interesting to see how he goes this year.
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