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England Scrum-half Alex Mitchell could face a race to be fit for Six Nations after undergoing surgery on his troublesome hamstring.
The Northampton The Saints No.9 recently traveled to Turku, Finland, to undergo surgery by specialist surgeon Lasse Lempainen, who confirmed the procedure was a success and Mitchell will now begin his rehabilitation.
No timetable has been set for the 29-year-old’s return, but with the Six Nations starting in February, any extended recovery would put his participation in the opening rounds, or even the entire championship, in doubt.
The priority, however, will be to ensure he is firing on all cylinders until next year’s World Cup, where he will undoubtedly be part of Steve Borthwick’s squad if fit.
Mitchell has suffered repeated hamstring problems throughout 2026, with his latest setback coming during Northampton’s win over Gloucester last month and excluded him from the whole of England Nations Championship campaign.
He firmly established himself as Borthwick’s first-half at tackle before his injury problems intensified, with Jack van Poortvliet taking over the England No.9 jersey in his absence this autumn.
At least Mitchell turned to a surgeon who already knew the England team. Lempainen operated on Ben Curry in March after the Trade Sharks side battle with repetitive strain injuries.
Curry has since completed a lengthy rehabilitation and returned to Test rugby this month after more than a year in which injuries interrupted his England involvement on several occasions.
Lempainen wrote on Instagram: “England international and Northampton Saints star Alex Mitchell has undergone tendon surgery in Turku, Finland.
“The operation went well, and now the focus shifts to rehabilitation and a successful return to top-level rugby.
“Many thanks to Alex, Northampton Saints and England Rugby for their trust and excellent cooperation!
“I wish Alex a speedy recovery and a strong return to the rugby field!”
