Fin Smith starts at fly-half as Borthwick names England side for Australia

Fin Smith will start at fly-half for England against Australia, after Steve Borthwick named his side for the autumn opener at Allianz Stadium. Smith missed England's three-day training camp in October with a calf strain, and he has been racing to be fit for the Wallabies. His inclusion is the headline call in a team with plenty of changes.

Fly-half is the player who directs the attack and kicks for position. Smith plays his club rugby for Northampton Saints. He is one of several players returning from injury or breaking back into the side.

Ben Curry is one of them. He has been picked at openside flanker, the back-row forward whose job is to win the ball at the ruck, the contest for possession on the ground after a tackle. He takes the place of his older brother Tom, who was injured in training on Wednesday. Ben Curry's selection is his first for England since the summer of 2025, and he plays for Sale Sharks.

Borthwick has made four changes from the side that beat Argentina in July. George Furbank is at fullback, the last line of defence, and is set to make his first England appearance in two years. Jack van Poortvliet has been picked at scrum-half, the link between the forwards and the backs, because Alex Mitchell is injured.

Maro Itoje returns to captain England. He will partner Alex Coles in the second row, the tall forwards who compete for lineout ball, with George Martin named among the replacements. Fin Baxter, of Harlequins, starts at loosehead prop, one of the two front-row forwards who anchor the scrum on the left side. Jamie George hooks in the middle, and Joe Heyes is at tighthead.

Behind the forwards, Seb Atkinson and Henry Slade reprise their partnership in midfield. Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and Tommy Freeman stay on the wings. Ollie Chessum and Ben Earl complete the back row alongside Ben Curry.

The bench is weighted towards the pack, with six forwards and two backs. Luke Cowan-Dickie, Ellis Genge, Will Stuart, Ben Spencer and Marcus Smith are all named among the replacements. Exeter back-row Greg Fisilau could make his England debut from the bench. His head coach at Exeter, Rob Baxter, has backed him to be ready for the moment.

Fisilau's chance says something about how deep the squad is. Borthwick named a 36-player group for the Nations Championship, the inaugural edition of the tournament that brings England's autumn games together. Smith was included in that group even after missing the training camp, and George Ford and Marcus Smith were also named.

For a casual fan, the simplest way to follow this team is to watch the number-tens and the openside. Smith's fitness decides whether England's attack has its usual control. Ben Curry's return will show whether England's back row can win turnover ball against a side that wants to play at speed. Those are the questions the match will answer.