Fin Smith cleared to start as Ben Curry replaces injured twin Tom in England team to face Australia

Fin Smith passed his final fitness test and was named at fly-half for England’s autumn opener against Australia on 6 November 2026, with Ben Curry drafted in at openside flanker to replace his injured twin Tom.

Head coach Steve Borthwick made four changes to the side that beat Argentina in July, bringing George Furbank in at fullback, Maro Itoje back as captain after being rested over the summer, and Fin Baxter at loosehead prop; Exeter back-row Greg Fisilau is in line for a bench debut.

Tom Curry suffered an injury in training on Wednesday and England have concerns he may not be fit to feature at any stage of the autumn campaign; Ben Curry has been selected at openside flanker for the first time since the summer of 2025.

The 24-year-old Fin Smith has started England’s last five matches and his availability is a boost for Borthwick as he keeps the fly-half role as his first-choice option.

George Furbank will make his first appearance for two years after a run of injuries; he had been due to start against South Africa in the summer but was struck down by appendicitis days before the match. Jack van Poortvliet is selected at scrum-half in the injury absence of Alex Mitchell, while Seb Atkinson and Henry Slade reprise their centre partnership and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and Tommy Freeman continue on the wings.

Maro Itoje returns to the second-row alongside Alex Coles, with George Martin moving to the bench; the replacements contain a 6-2 split between forwards and backs.

Baxter, Jamie George and Joe Heyes form the front row, with Ollie Chessum and Ben Earl completing the back-row alongside Ben Curry. Ellis Genge is named among the replacements to provide ballast from the bench as part of the “Pom Squad” after recovering from a long-term foot injury that has kept him out since last year’s autumn campaign; Luke Cowan-Dickie and Will Stuart join Genge as front-row cover, Henry Pollock covers the back-row and wing, and Ben Spencer and Marcus Smith are the two backs among the replacements.

The team has been selected for England’s autumn opener against Australia, and Tom Curry’s injury has created uncertainty over his availability for the remainder of England’s autumn campaign.