Fin Smith injury forces England to call up Atkinson for Nations Championship camp

Charlie Atkinson has been drafted into England’s Nations Championship training squad after Fin Smith sustained a leg injury during Northampton’s Premiership derby defeat to Leicester on Saturday.

Smith, who has started England’s last five Tests at fly-half, was initially named in Steve Borthwick’s 36-man group on Sunday but will not train this week, instead beginning his rehabilitation at the camp held at England’s Performance Centre at Pennyhill Park.

Atkinson, 25, earned his call-up on the back of an impressive start to the club season with Gloucester. The fly-half won his only England cap against the USA in the summer of 2025 and has been a key figure as the Cherry & Whites topped the Premiership table after four rounds and held reigning Champions Cup holders Bordeaux-Bèglès to a draw in Europe.

The three-day training camp runs until Tuesday 27 October as England prepare for a demanding autumn schedule. Borthwick’s side host Australia at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham on 8 November in Round 4 of the Nations Championship, before facing Japan and New Zealand.

The full updated squad sees George Ford and Marcus Smith also available at fly-half, giving Borthwick options should Smith’s recovery extend beyond the opening fixture. The 36-man group draws heavily from Premiership clubs, with Sale Sharks, Northampton Saints, Saracens, and Leicester Tigers among the most represented.