England recall Spencer and Randall after scrum-half injuries

England have brought Ben Spencer and Harry Randall into their Nations Championship squad after injuries ruled scrum-halves Alex Mitchell and Archie McParland out of Sunday's match against Australia, BBC Sport reported. The changes leave England without both Northampton players for that fixture, while a separate fitness concern over Fin Smith has also left their options at fly-half unsettled.

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Mitchell suffered a hamstring problem during Northampton's victory over Gloucester on Saturday. According to the BBC, the 29-year-old was due to undergo a scan on Monday to establish the severity of the injury and how long he would be unavailable. He has already experienced three other hamstring injuries this year, but the report did not establish a recovery timetable for this latest setback.

McParland injured his calf at England's training camp last week. The uncapped 21-year-old could still be available for the matches against Japan on 14 November and New Zealand on 21 November. His earlier opportunity to tour with England in July had been prevented by a severe leg cut sustained during Northampton's Premiership final victory over Exeter.

Leicester scrum-half Jack van Poortvliet started each of England's three summer Tests and appears likely to retain the starting role, the BBC reported. Spencer and Randall are now among the squad's alternatives. At fly-half, Fin Smith is dealing with a calf problem; Marcus Smith and George Ford are competing to replace him should he be unavailable. No starting selection was confirmed in the report.

There are changes elsewhere in the squad, too. Saracens hooker Theo Dan replaces Bath's Kepu Tuipulotu, who was injured during last week's three-day camp. Gloucester centre Seb Atkinson and Exeter wing Immanuel Feyi-Waboso are included after returning from injury for their clubs over the weekend. Will Joseph and Joe Marchant also feature among the centres, with Marchant eligible again following three seasons in France.

Bath centres Ollie Lawrence and Max Ojomoh have been left out, alongside Saracens wing Noah Caluori. England's programme extends beyond the three scheduled matches against Australia, Japan and New Zealand: they will play another southern hemisphere side during the Nations Championship's play-off finals weekend. That fourth opponent has not yet been determined.