England kick-off their Six Nations campaign with a crunch clash against Ireland on Saturday and Red Rose head coach Steve Borthwick is preparing his squad in Girona

Mitchell replaces Northampton team-mate Henry Pollock and is expected to be given the number nine jersey when head coach Steve Borthwick names his team on Thursday

Ireland will be without British & Irish Lions prop Tadhg Furlong for their Six Nations opener against England on Saturday in Dublin.

Ireland prop Tadhg Furlong has been ruled out of Saturday's Six Nations opener against England after suffering a recurrence of a calf strain in training, the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) said on Sunday.

British and Irish Lions prop Tadhg Furlong will miss Ireland's Six Nations opener against England on Saturday because of injury.

Ireland have suffered a major blow ahead of their Six Nations opener against England next weekend with talismanic prop Tadhg Furlong ruled out of the clash through injury. The 32-year-old has suffered a recurrence of a calf problem while training in Portugal and will be sidelined for Saturday’s clash at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin that kicks off Ireland’s Six Nations title defence.

Ireland have been dealt a major blow ahead of the opening Six Nations fixture of their title defence after Tadhg Furlong was ruled out due to injury.

Tadhg Furlong is a massive doubt for Ireland's opening Six Nations clash with England at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday. According to reports in Portugal, Furlong has suffered an injury and has returned home today from Ireland's training camp in Quinta do Lago.