Home » Sports » Rugby » United Rugby Championship

The Rugby Paper Roundup: Marcus Smith unleashed? England v Australia & the race to stop the Springboks

Ben Jaycock is joined by Vitty De Lazzer to preview England’s opening November Test against Australia, assess Steve Borthwick’s selection dilemmas and debate the Nations Championship contenders.

By The Rugby Paper Team · The Rugby Paper

Published: Thursday, 5 November 2026 at 10:52 AM

Key Things to Know

The Rugby Paper Roundup previews England against Australia and analyzes contenders aiming to stop the Springboks.
Steve Borthwick faces major squad selection decisions involving Marcus Smith, George Furbank, and Freddie Steward.
England faces a growing injury list heading into the November Tests, including the absence of Alex Mitchell.

The Story in 60 Seconds

The Rugby Paper Roundup previews England's upcoming November Test against Australia, focusing on Steve Borthwick's major selection decisions involving Marcus Smith, George Furbank, and Freddie Steward. Hosts Ben Jaycock and Vitty De Lazzer also analyze England's growing injury concerns, highlighted by the absence of scrum-half Alex Mitchell, while assessing how a fit Immanuel Feyi-Waboso can bolster the attack.

Additionally, the show discusses whether France, Ireland, or New Zealand can challenge South Africa in the inaugural Nations Championship. Other topics covered include Italy's ongoing campaign challenges, the Red Roses' recent losses to Canada, and the launch of the new Premiership Women's Rugby season.

Read the full article on The Rugby Paper