Fin Smith Cleared to Play Australia; Ben Curry Replaces Injured Twin Tom

Fly-half Fin Smith has successfully passed his fitness tests and is set to start for England against Australia in their autumn opener. Ben Curry will take the openside flanker position, marking his first start in that role since the summer of 2025, as he replaces his twin brother Tom, who is sidelined with an injury that may rule him out of the entire Nations Championship.

Head coach Steve Borthwick has made four alterations to the squad that defeated Argentina in July. George Furbank is also included in the lineup at full-back. These changes come as England prepares for the upcoming international fixtures, with Maro Itoje set to captain the team in the absence of players who missed the summer Tests.

Earlier in the week, scrum-half Alex Mitchell was ruled out of the Nations Championship due to injury. Despite these squad challenges, Rugby Football Union chief executive Bill Sweeney has publicly supported Steve Borthwick's leadership, emphasizing the need for improved discipline as the team builds towards the next World Cup.