November is finally here, and we hopefully have fireworks in store as the Nations Championship explodes back into life. First up for England are the Wallabies, on Sunday.

Telegraph Sport’s rugby experts step into Steve Borthwick’s shoes and name their England teams for the side’s first assignment of what promises to be a testing autumn.

Biggest question mark is at openside

The big caveat in all this is the fitness of Fin Smith, but I am assuming – and no doubt Borthwick will be praying – that his calf holds up so we can finally see a reprisal of his playmaking partnership with George Furbank at Test level.

Alex Coles has been England’s most improved player over the past 12 months and his form merits selection ahead of George Martin who will add considerable heft to the bench. The biggest question mark is at openside in the absence of the injured Guy Pepper. Tom Curry is the safe option and despite middling club form he always performs at Test level. Henry Pollock has also been in lukewarm form for Northampton but in an England team lacking in top-end speed he just about edges selection against an Australia team who are certainly not lacking in gas.

In light of Fin Smith’s dodgy calf, I think it is prudent to revert to a five-three split with Will Joseph the fun wildcard after an excellent start to the season with Gloucester.

Cowan-Dickie in to address lack of jackal threat

There is the obvious question mark around Fin Smith. If he is not fit, that would be a massive blow to England. Freddie Steward has looked a player reborn this season, but the added zip of Furbank gets the No 15 shirt. The midfield, in lieu of a truly outstanding candidate to come in, remains intact from the summer for cohesion purposes.

Ellis Genge starts at loosehead owing to Fin Baxter’s lack of game time, while Luke Cowan-Dickie joins him in the front row in an attempt to address England’s lack of jackal threat. The second rows continue, but Alex Coles is the unluckiest man in England and, in truth, should the duo underwhelm, Coles would come straight in for the Fiji match.

In the back row – Ollie Chessum aside and without Guy Pepper – it is a case of hoping that the tried and trusted can raise their club game for the higher level. If they can, England will be fine. If they cannot, there may be trouble ahead.

Coles pips Martin in the second row

Maro Itoje, the returning captain, comes straight back into the mix following his mini sabbatical alongside Coles. This might be harsh on Martin, but Coles has more minutes under his belt this season and is the ideal candidate to face a Wallabies’ pack that will showcase plenty of dynamism.

Borthwick has talked avidly about the step up in intensity at the breakdown and having two of his finest jackalers in Ben Curry and Pollock on the bench could prove crucial late on. The temptation is to promote Joe Marchant to the starting side given his eye-catching form for Sale but, with Borthwick cooling the jets on the Tommy Freeman experiment at 13, a Slade-Atkinson midfield partnership ensures some continuity from the summer.

Back three can lay down World Cup marker

What I am most keen to see this weekend is the back three of Furbank, Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso together. For various reasons, this trio has not been seen together since 2024, but they are good enough to lock down their positions through to the World Cup. I would bring Marchant straight back in at outside centre to start building cohesion with the rest of the back line. Henry Slade’s playmaking ability feels less critical with Furbank in the side.

Up front, the back five of the pack is all about physicality with the attacking ability of Coles and Pollock ready to be unleashed in the final quarter. Greg Fisilau deserves and needs minutes this autumn to see if he is ready to be a viable No 8. Going with a 6-2 bench allows him to make the squad and gives the option to change the balance of the back row mid-match.

If Archie McParland was fit, I would have picked him on the bench as he looks more than ready to make his first foray into international rugby.