England Six Nations team: Alex Mitchell makes dramatic late recovery to start Italy opener

Alex Mitchell has shaken off an infected cut at the last minute to start England’s Six Nations opener against Italy in Rome.

Northampton scrum-half Mitchell could not train at the start of the week due to the nasty cut on his leg but has proved his fitness just in time to face the Azzurri.

Harlequins veteran Danny Care was primed to start and had been preparing to take the No9 shirt, but Mitchell's dramatic recovery offers England a late boost.

Mitchell only passed a last-ditch fitness test on Thursday morning, leaving the 37-year-old Care now deputising from the bench.

George Ford has beaten Fin Smith to the nod at fly-half, with England missing Marcus Smith through a calf injury.

Northampton centre Fraser Dingwall will win his first cap at inside centre, with Exeter flanker Ethan Roots also making his debut in the back row.

England could hand out three further Test debuts off the bench, with the uncapped trio of Fin Smith, Chandler Cunningham-South and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso all primed to make their international bows.

“Winning a first cap for your country is always a very special occasion, and we’re delighted for the debutants who have worked incredibly hard to get themselves in the 23 to face Italy,” said England head coach Steve Borthwick.

“My message to the debutants this week has been to be themselves, to grasp their opportunity, and to play with the strengths and skills that deservedly got them selected to a strong squad.”

Marcus Smith’s absence has seen England turn to the ultra-experienced Ford to lead the backline from fly-half.

Fin Smith’s impressive campaign for Northampton has seen him force his way into contention, and now the 21-year-old will be primed for his debut off the bench.

Owen Farrell’s decision to step away from Test rugby, ahead of his move to Racing 92 in the summer, has left England’s No10 shirt up for grabs.

But Marcus Smith’s untimely injury has robbed England of the chance for a straight-up early tussle for the keys to the Red Rose kingdom.

So Borthwick has chosen to hand the tiller to the arch tactician, pass master and accurate kicking fly-half in Ford.

Ford’s selection will doubtless help debutant Dingwall operate at the required level at 12, with the recalled Henry Slade another experienced hand at outside centre.

New Zealand-born Exeter flanker Roots has represented the Maori All Blacks but qualifies for the Red Rose team thanks to his English father.

The 26-year-old has excelled at first the Ospreys and now the Chiefs, and now steps into the blindside flanker role vacated by Courtney Lawes, who retired from Test rugby after the World Cup.

Roots could hardly have bigger boots to fill given Lawes’ all-court excellence, but World Cup winner Richard Hill has given the new man a major endorsement behind the scenes amid England’s revamp.

New captain Jamie George will lead England for the first time this weekend, and has been clear from the moment he took the armband that he wants this Red Rose iteration to be based around positive, attacking rugby.

England will not desert the pragmatic principles already installed by the naturally risk-averse Borthwick, but the Red Rose players do want to balance that with a more expansive attacking game.

Borthwick is mindful of this too, and Saturday’s clash with the Azzurri will provide the opportunity for England to debut their new gameplan.

The selection of Ford would be easy to critique as safety-first, but the 30-year-old Sale star still boasts natural attacking intent.

England team to face Italy in Six Nations

F Steward; T Freeman, H Slade, F Dingwall, E Daly; G Ford, A Mitchell; J Marler, J George (c), W Stuart; M Itoje, O Chessum; E Roots, S Underhill, B Earl.

Replacements: T Dan, E Genge, D Cole, A Coles, C Cunningham-South, D Care, F Smith, I Feyi-Waboso.