Steve Borthwick has named a 36-man squad for England's Nations Championship opener against Australia, scheduled for Sunday at Twickenham. The focus is now on which starting XV will be fielded to secure a crucial victory.

Key selection battles are evident across the squad, particularly in the full-back and fly-half positions. The competition for the No. 10 shirt involves Jack van Poortvliet and Fin Smith, who recently faced off in a Premier Rugby clash. Borthwick will need to decide which player can best lead the team to victory.

At full-back, George Furbank is in contention for the No. 15 shirt alongside Freddie Steward. Furbank's potential partnerships with Fin and Marcus Smith could be a deciding factor in this selection.

George Furbank is in a tight race for the No.15 shirt with Freddie Steward but his partnerships with Fin and Marcus Smith may just settle the matter

In the second row, players like Ollie Chessum, Alex Coles, and Maro Itoje have been performing well. Chessum's adaptability may see him shifted to the blindside flanker (No. 6) position.

Second-rowers Ollie Chessum, Alex Coles and Maro Itoje have been in fine form, and Chessum's versatility means he should slide over to No6

Borthwick also places significant emphasis on team cohesion. The return of Henry Slade could be a strategic move for this particular match.

Borthwick places a great deal of emphasis on cohesion and the returning Henry Slade is the right call for this game

Steve Borthwick as named his 36-man squad for the autumn slate of the Nations Championship