Mitchell faces Six Nations doubt after hamstring surgery in Finland

England scrum-half Alex Mitchell is facing a race to be fit for the Six Nations after undergoing hamstring surgery in Turku, Finland, with no timeframe yet given for his return.

The 29-year-old Northampton Saints No.9 travelled to Finland to be operated on by specialist surgeon Lasse Lempainen, who confirmed the procedure was successful and that Mitchell has now begun rehabilitation. With the Six Nations kicking off in February, any extended recovery period puts his involvement in the opening rounds — or potentially the entire Championship — in serious doubt.

Mitchell has endured a difficult 2026 with recurring hamstring problems. His latest setback came during Northampton’s victory over Gloucester last month, ruling him out of England’s entire Nations Championship campaign. Before his injury troubles intensified, he had firmly established himself as head coach Steve Borthwick’s first-choice scrum-half. Jack van Poortvliet has stepped in to fill the No.9 jersey during Mitchell’s absence this autumn.

Lempainen is no stranger to England’s squad. The Finnish surgeon operated on Sale Sharks flanker Ben Curry in March following his own prolonged battle with recurring hamstring injuries. Curry completed a lengthy rehabilitation and returned to Test rugby this month after more than a year disrupted by injury.

Lempainen confirmed the news on Instagram, writing: “England international and Northampton Saints star Alex Mitchell underwent hamstring surgery in Turku, Finland. The surgery went well, and now the focus shifts to rehabilitation and a successful return to top-level rugby.”

While the Six Nations timeline remains uncertain, the longer-term priority for both Mitchell and England’s management will be ensuring he is fully fit for the Rugby World Cup in Australia next year, where he is expected to be a central figure in Borthwick’s squad.