England are fretting over the fitness of the fly-half Fin Smith in the lead-up to the Nations Championship home opener against Australia on 8 November. The Northampton player ­damaged a calf in the second half against Leicester on Saturday and will be unable to join the national squad who have a three-day training camp in Bagshot this week.

Losing Smith so close to the ­Wallabies game would be a significant blow given the 24-year-old started at 10 in all three of England’s Tests in July and was instrumental in Saints’ domestic title triumph last season.

England’s management say they remain hopeful he will be back in time to face Australia but, with limited preparation time available, there will inevitably be some disruption to Steve ­Borthwick’s plans.

Borthwick has responded by ­calling up ­Gloucester’s Charlie ­Atkinson as cover, with Marcus Smith and George Ford the other ­specialist 10s in the squad.…