Fin Smith has been cleared to steer England through their crucial autumn opener against Australia on Sunday after successfully completing his recovery from a troublesome calf problem. The fly-half proved his fitness during Friday’s final training session of the week at Allianz Stadium, handing head coach Steve Borthwick a major boost as the team prepares for the first of four demanding Tests this month.
Smith’s return anchors an England side featuring four personnel changes from the XV that scraped a 31-24 victory over Argentina in July. Among the most notable inclusions is George Furbank, who returns at full-back after missing the summer tour’s Pumas fixture due to a sudden bout of appendicitis. It marks Furbank’s first appearance in an England shirt for two years following a punishing, injury-laden spell that saw the Harlequins playmaker battle a broken arm, concussion, and a previous calf issue. Furbank had originally been named in the starting lineup to face South Africa back in July, only to be forced into a heartbreaking late withdrawal that ended his tour before he could take the field.
Further changes see flanker Ben Curry make a welcome return to the Test arena following an injury-hit 16-month absence, while Henry Slade is selected to marshal the outside centre channel. Up front, Fin Baxter has been named as the starting loose-head prop ahead of Ellis Genge, rewarding the young forward after he recently returned from a grueling 10-month layoff due to a foot injury. Meanwhile, Exeter back row Greg Fisilau is poised to win his very first international cap after being named among the replacements, alongside Henry Pollock, who will provide dynamic cover across the wing positions for Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso.
Looking ahead to the encounter, Borthwick emphasized the magnitude of the challenge facing his squad. "Australia are a talented side who have played a significant amount of Test rugby in recent months," the England head coach said. "We know the challenge that awaits us and we’re looking forward to it. We’re excited to be playing in front of our home supporters and to start an important block of games. This will also be our last opportunity to face southern hemisphere opposition at home before the World Cup next year."
The confirmed England starting XV features George Furbank at full-back, flanked by Tommy Freeman on the right wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso on the left. Henry Slade partners with Seb Atkinson in the midfield, while Fin Smith and scrum-half Jack van Poortvliet form the half-back pairing. In the pack, Fin Baxter joins captain Jamie George and tighthead Joe Heyes in the front row, with Maro Itoje and Alex Coles locking down the second row. The back row comprises Ollie Chessum, Ben Curry, and number eight Ben Earl. Borthwick’s bench options include Luke Cowan-Dickie, Ellis Genge, Will Stuart, George Martin, Greg Fisilau, Henry Pollock, Ben Spencer, and Marcus Smith.
Ikitau Back in Australia Team
While England deals with their own squad adjustments, the touring Wallabies have received a significant boost with the return of former Exeter star Len Ikitau. The blockbusting 28-year-old centre missed Australia’s most recent outing—a heavy 43-21 defeat against New Zealand in Sydney on October 17—due to concussion protocols, but he has fully recovered in time to face England at Twickenham. Ikitau is already well known to English rugby fans following a standout domestic campaign with Exeter during the 2025-26 season, where he helped guide the Chiefs to the Gallagher Premiership final.
Australia’s lineup adjustments see Declan Meredith continue at fly-half, with Carter Gordon left out of the matchday 23 entirely. In the backline, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii shifts to the left wing to accommodate Test rookie Isaac Henry, who is handed the outside centre jersey alongside Ikitau. Wallabies head coach Les Kiss has also bolstered his bench with formidable forward power, naming Taniela Tupou, Rob Valetini, and Carlo Tizzano among the replacements.
"The entire squad has travelled well and prepared with fantastic energy and excitement heading into this weekend," Wallabies head coach Les Kiss remarked ahead of the fixture. "Playing England on their home turf – at an iconic venue like Twickenham – is a massive challenge and another great opportunity for us to test ourselves against world-class opposition and keep building our game."
Australia’s starting XV lines up with Tom Wright at full-back, Max Jorgensen and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii on the wings, and a midfield partnership of Isaac Henry and Len Ikitau. Declan Meredith and Ryan Lonergan direct operations from half-back. The forward pack features Angus Bell, Billy Pollard, and Allan Alaalatoa in the front row, backed by locks Josh Canham and Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, with a back row consisting of Jeremy Williams, Fraser McReight, and Harry Wilson. The Wallabies bench comprises Billy Pollard, Isaac Kailea, Taniela Tupou, Rob Valetini, Carlo Tizzano, Tate McDermott, Ben Donaldson, and Filipo Daugunu.
Borthwick Under Scrutiny?
Despite the optimism surrounding selection and the return of key personnel, England head into this autumn block under a heavy cloud of scrutiny. The team’s current trajectory follows the worst Six Nations campaign in their history earlier this year. Across five fixtures in the championship, England suffered four defeats for the first time ever. That dismal run included a historic first-ever Test loss to Italy, as well as a record home defeat to Ireland by a margin of 42-21 at Twickenham.
Further compounding their misery, England fell to Scotland for the fifth time in six years as their championship aspirations unravelled entirely, despite opening the tournament with a routine home victory over a struggling Wales side. A dramatic, last-gasp defeat to France in Paris on the final weekend condemned England to a fifth-place finish in the standings—their lowest ever position in the tournament’s history.
Those compounding failures placed the squad under immense pressure when they travelled to the southern hemisphere in July, where conventional wisdom suggested they needed at least two victories from three Tests to stave off radical organizational change. Prior to those summer fixtures, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) publicly threw its weight behind Borthwick, backing him to remain in charge through to the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia following what was formally described as a challenging internal review of the Six Nations.
Even so, Borthwick remained acutely aware that results needed an immediate upward curve. A daunting opening trip to Ellis Park saw England comfortably dispatched 45-21 by the Springboks, but the tourists managed to salvage the tour with a resounding 73-8 mauling of Fiji, followed by the hard-fought 31-24 victory over Argentina. In the wake of those fixtures, despite ongoing concerns over consistency and fluctuating performances, news emerged that Borthwick had quietly signed a contract extension keeping him at the helm until 2028, a move by the RFU intended to eliminate ongoing speculation about his long-term future.
Yet, underlying questions remain. Across four completed Six Nations campaigns under Borthwick’s leadership, England have failed to secure any silverware, missing out on both the championship title and the coveted Triple Crown. A persistent lack of tactical consistency, a porous defensive structure, an uninventive or error-prone attack, and an alarming rate of disciplinary indiscipline resulting in cards have frequently characterized his tenure, overshadowing the obvious individual talent within the squad.
Returning to home soil, anything less than competitive victories—and ideally, convincing performances—against opponents like Australia and Japan this November would represent a major step backward for Borthwick’s project, particularly with a rigorous test against New Zealand also looming later in the month. As Sunday’s fixture at Allianz Stadium approaches, Borthwick and his players still have far more questions to answer than they do settled solutions.