Alex Mitchell, England’s scrum-half is set to be fit for their upcoming Six Nations match against Ireland in Dublin on Saturday. The 27-year-old had been a concern due to a knee issue but fully participated in training in Girona, Spain on Monday morning. Mitchell a key player for England in early 2024, missed the Autumn Nations Series because of a neck injury. Mitchell’s return to full fitness means England have dropped Henry Pollock from the 36-man squad and Pollock has joined the England Under-20s in Girona.
England head coach Steve Borthwick had already dealt with several withdrawals at the start of the week including Jamie George, Alex Coles, Alex Dombrandt and Jack van Poortvliet, so Mitchell’s recovery brings a welcome boost as they prepare to face double defending champions Ireland at Aviva Stadium. England will aim to win in Dublin for the first time since 2019. Borthwick plans to pair Alex Mitchell with Marcus Smith at half-back with Smith having played as the number 10 throughout the summer and autumn.
Henry Slade and Ollie Lawrence will likely continue their partnership at centre for the 11th consecutive Test and Freddie Steward will start at full-back in place of the injured George Furbank. Slade emphasized the importance of continuity in the squad, noting that training more with Lawrence has improved their understanding of each other’s game. He believes this familiarity will play a crucial role in England’s effort to defeat Ireland in Dublin. Slade was part of the last England team to win at the Aviva in 2017 and urged his team to bring physicality and excitement to the challenge.
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