Alex Mitchell, the England scrum-half, is poised for an unexpected return to Northampton's matchday squad for Saturday's Premiership final against Exeter. A hamstring injury had threatened to rule him out for the remainder of the domestic season, but the Saints are now optimistic about his availability for the final at Allianz Stadium.
The 29-year-old tore his hamstring during an England training camp in Bagshot last month, which had initially seemed to end his season. His club director of rugby, Phil Dowson, had expressed frustration about the injury, suggesting Mitchell would struggle to feature again this season. However, Mitchell is now back in contention to face Exeter Chiefs.
“There is a chance,” Dowson said. “We have got to make sure we get the balance right and trust that if Alex does get involved he can do enough minutes to cover us off.” Dowson is expected to start young Archie McParland at scrum-half, with Mitchell potentially coming off the bench.
Mitchell's potential return is also a boost for England head coach Steve Borthwick, who will finalize his squad next Monday for the summer Nations Championship fixtures, starting with a trip to Johannesburg to face the Springboks on 4 July. Intense national training camps late in the season are not popular with clubs still in contention for trophies, and Phil Morrow, England's head of performance, travelled to Northampton to discuss Mitchell's injury with Dowson.
“I guess there's always an emotional bit at the start and then we sit down and see what we can do better and whether there's anything we can learn from it,” Morrow said. “Unfortunately, in all sports injuries happen and it's frustrating when they do. So I appreciate Phil was frustrated at the time. But I met with him and his medical and strength and conditioning team and we had a good conversation.”
Meanwhile, Northampton captain George Furbank has urged his players to attack the game without fear. “We want to go out and just attack this game,” Furbank said. “Often in finals you can start to play within yourselves and play a bit safe. I don't think we're a good team when we do that. So for us it's about going and expressing ourselves and performing the way that we want to perform.”
Northampton are seeking their second Premiership title in three seasons, and Mitchell's availability could be a key factor in their quest for glory.
