England are sweating over the fitness of Fin Smith as their first-choice fly-half battles a calf problem that places his involvement in the Nations Championship opener against Australia in doubt.

Smith is being assessed having entered England’s three-day training camp with the injury sustained in the second half of Northampton’s Gallagher Prem defeat at Leicester on Saturday.

Head coach Steve Borthwick is expecting an update on Tuesday and has called Charlie Atkinson into his 36-man squad as a replacement as preparations continue for the Wallabies’ visit to Allianz Stadium on Sunday week.

If Smith is ruled out, George Ford and Marcus Smith will compete for the number 10 jersey in the first of next month’s four Tests.

Ford started the first three matches of the Six Nations until Fin Smith took over as chief conductor and would provide an experienced alternative, while Marcus Smith is fresh from a virtuoso performance for Harlequins against Saracens on Sunday.

However, Smith is now primarily seen by Borthwick as a full-back and gamebreaking bench option and his most recent start at fly-half was against Ireland in February 2025.

Test centurion Ford is ready to step into the breach if needed having learned from his own experience how quickly fortunes can change.

“If you don’t back yourself individually, to go and perform at this level, then there’s no point being here,” the 33-year-old told the Press Association.

“You just don’t know what’s going happen. In the summer I didn’t play a game, but previous to that I played three games in the Six Nations.

“One thing I’ve learned in my career, being around for so long, is how quickly things can change. It very rarely stays the same and consistent.

“We’re playing a game of rugby, it’s a brutal sport, there are injuries, form and everything chucked in the mix. So you’ve just got to stay ready.

“We get on as the three 10s: me, Fin and Marcus. The relationship is great. All of us would want to be playing, of course we would, but when selection’s announced and it goes one way or another, we’ll support whoever it is to the maximum because we want the team to win.”

Another Sale Shark pressing for inclusion against Australia is Joe Marchant, who makes his first appearance in an England squad since the 2023 World Cup.

Marchant became unavailable for selection when he joined Stade Francais but having returned to the Prem, he has been picked at the first available opportunity by Borthwick.

An ever-present at the World Cup, he put his Test career on hold to head across The Channel, but the 30-year-old does not regret the move.

“I’ve never really had that mindset with a lot of the decisions I’ve made throughout my career,” Marchant said.

“Even when I went and played Super Rugby in 2020, a lot of people said the same thing. They were like, ‘oh, do you wish you’d made, made different decision?’

“For me, it was a massive learning experience and I came back a better player. This experience in France has also made me come back a better player.”