England fly-half Fin Smith injures calf before Nations Championship opener against Australia

Summary

England fly-half Fin Smith damaged a calf in the second half of Northampton's match against Leicester on Saturday and will miss England's three-day training camp in Bagshot this week, leaving England fretting over his fitness before the Nations Championship home opener against Australia on 8 November. Smith, 24, started at 10 in all three of England's Tests in July and was instrumental in Saints' domestic title triumph last season. A second Guardian column says the two leading midfield candidates to face Australia, Seb Atkinson and Bernhard Janse van Rensburg, are also unable to train this week, and that Bath flanker Guy Pepper limped off against Gloucester last Friday, adding to injury complications for Steve Borthwick ahead of the Australia and Japan games.

Timeline

1. The Guardian

   26 Oct 2026, 18:30 UTCSource ↗

   Reports that England are fretting over Fin Smith's fitness after he damaged a calf against Leicester, that he will not join the squad's training camp in Bagshot, and that Steve Borthwick has called up replacements ahead of the 8 November Australia match.

2. The Guardian

   27 Oct 2026, 09:57 UTCSource ↗

   Says Smith's calf injury is a serious blow to England's planned starting No 10 plans, that Seb Atkinson and Bernhard Janse van Rensburg are also unable to train this week, and that Guy Pepper limped off against Gloucester, creating injury complications for Borthwick before the Australia and Japan games.