England Scrum-Half Alex Mitchell Fit to Face Ireland in Six Nations

England scrum-half Alex Mitchell has been cleared to play in the team's Six Nations opener against Ireland on Saturday, providing a major boost to Steve Borthwick's side.

England's first-choice scrum-half, Alex Mitchell, has been cleared to play in the team's Six Nations opener against Ireland on Saturday. Mitchell had been a doubt for the match after suffering a knee injury while playing for Northampton against Munster in the European Champions Cup on January 18th.

Despite initial concerns, Mitchell has made a swift recovery and has been added to England's 36-man squad, which is currently training in Spain. His inclusion in the squad comes at the expense of uncapped Northampton teammate Henry Pollock. Mitchell is now expected to be named in the starting lineup when head coach Steve Borthwick announces his team on Thursday.

Mitchell's return to the England squad is a significant boost, particularly given his experience and form. He is expected to partner with Marcus Smith at half-back, with Smith likely to continue in the number 10 role. Mitchell's last Test appearance came against New Zealand in Auckland in July, after which he was ruled out of England's November series due to a neck injury.

The return of Mitchell is a welcome relief for head coach Steve Borthwick, who has been dealing with a number of withdrawals in recent weeks. Jamie George, Alex Coles, Alex Dombrandt, and Jack van Poortvliet have all been forced to drop out of the squad due to injury. However, with Mitchell back in the fold, England will be looking to secure their first win in Dublin since 2019.