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Indications from the England camp are that Steve Borthwick will remain with a stable squad this autumn, but at least one important selection decision needs to be made. It is a mark of Alex Mitchell’s improvement as a player that a man fourth in the pecking order when the World Cup squad was initially named last August is now unquestionably number nine England’s first choice when fit.
But with the prognosis uncertain regarding his neck injury, Mitchell looks set to miss all four November Tests, leaving a significant hole. The Northampton man has fulfilled his initial mission perfectly over the last 12 months, combining fine passing with real cunning and maturity. It is perhaps no coincidence that England’s worst performance in 2024 came with Mitchell’s unavailability against Scotland at Murrayfield.
With Ben Youngs and Danny Care now enjoying the comfort of international retirement, the scrum-half cupboard is far from empty. Jostling for places in the hierarchy are three players with different strengths, each emblematic of the club they play for, and all very much in contention to feature in the opening match of the Autumn Nations Series against the All Blacks.
“It’s a good battle,” said Richard Wigglesworth, himself a former scrum-half, as England’s attack coach assessed Ben Spencer, Jack van Poortvliet and Harry Randall. “They are three different nines but good players in their own right who have become very important at their clubs.
“The rate at which Rands [Randall] brings, in terms of the way he buzzes and the ball speed he gets. Well, how he led that Bath team and what he produced for them.
“And then JVP started this season as absolute number one [for Leicester] and took control of Leicester’s improving start to the season. We have a selection puzzle at nine, which is a good thing to have.
The trio spanned the scrum-half spectrum. On one end, the lively Randall rarely kicks for Bristol as part of the Bears’ high-octane style. On the other hand, Spencer is probably the best conductor in the Premiership, leading Bath to within a whisker of the title last season with a steady hand at the helm. Van Poortvliet falls somewhere in between and has regained the sharpness he sometimes lacked last season after that serious ankle injury.
England’s desire for a fast ball perhaps works in Randall’s favor. A pace-based attack relies on a quick transfer out of the ruck. Borthwick staff and analysts review every attacking breakdown and record ‘release speed’ – how quickly their scrum halves play once the ball is clearly available. This is an area of the game that Spencer has been challenged to improve in. The Bath captain has many strengths but can sometimes be prone to overthinking the basis of a scrum.
“They are different and there will be tactical implications, but if you want to play nine for England you have to win the ball back quickly,” Wigglesworth stressed. “You’re going to have to play fast. Ben improved this area. It’s something we’ve talked about [Bath attack coach] Lee Blackett and they are on the same thing.
Spencer, 32, has had a curious career in England. After usurping the equally competent Wigglesworth as Saracens’ main scrum-half, he won four caps in 2018 and 2019, but missed out on selection for the World Cup in Japan. Willi Heinz’s injury forced Spencer to withdraw the week of the World Cup final to appear on the bench against the Springboks, before being sidelined again by Eddie Jones.
Suggestions that he was just a product of the Saracens winning machine and could take on more responsibility have been roundly refuted since his arrival at Bath, with his irresistible form prompting his recall ahead of this year’s Six Nations . But even since then, a peculiar career has continued – two somewhat lackluster appearances against Scotland and in the first Test in New Zealand were followed by 80 minutes on the pine as an unused substitute at Eden Park.
If it had so much to do with Mitchell’s importance, perhaps it also showed the challenge Spencer faced. Although he is a relatively regular 80-minute man for his club, he may not be best suited to a bench role. So this appears to be a vital opportunity for Spencer to finally come of age internationally and grab the starting jersey.
“He’s not one of those players who has played a lot,” Wigglesworth said. “So he’s young in rugby terms for that. He moved to Bath and became captain and senior player with more responsibility, playing in a good team in which he is a focal point.
“You’re just going to grow up in that kind of place and that’s what he did.” He has great moments in matches and puts his mark on his team. I saw this growth with him, thanks to the leadership he had to show in his club.
