![](\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/static-assets\/images\/newsletter\/sport\/sport-135x135.png\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Alex Mitchell is ready to continue riding his World Cup rollercoaster after being entrusted with the scrum-half duties for England\u2019s critical opener against Argentina.<\/p>\n
Mitchell starts Saturday\u2019s showdown at the Stade Velodrome despite being overlooked for Steve Borthwick\u2019s 41-man training squad named in late June, an omission that enabled him to take a week\u2019s holiday in Hvar in Croatia.<\/p>\n
But the stars aligned for England\u2019s most dangerous running nine when Jack van Poortvliet went down with a tournament-ending ankle injury against Wales at Twickenham last month.<\/p>\n
Van Poortvliet\u2019s misfortune offered his route back into the squad and when asked to start against Fiji, Mitchell seized the opportunity by emerging as one of the few bright sparks on an otherwise gloomy afternoon.<\/p>\n
The 26-year-old now starts England\u2019s biggest game since the 2019 World Cup final ahead of veterans Danny Care and Ben Youngs with the aim of bringing a misfiring attack to life.<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2022\/11\/30\/15\/GettyImages-1388382959%20copy.jpg\")
\n![](\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2022\/12\/01\/03\/GettyImages-1245251240.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been a bit of a rollercoaster \u2013 out of the squad, then back in and now getting a shot against Argentina,\u201d Mitchell said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI stayed fit and stayed ready and then got called to come in. I trained hard and tried to put my hand up again.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had one week off in Croatia, which was nice, just to reset the batteries. That was a couple of months ago now, so it was nice to get away and relax.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m massively excited to be getting an opportunity to play and putting my hand up. It\u2019s all been a bit weird but I\u2019m excited.<\/p>\n
https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/Cu4Wv7eoRtR<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a kid it\u2019s a thing you dream of, playing at the top of the game, and the World Cup is that.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo start the first World Cup game is a massive honour \u2013 my family are massively proud of me. I\u2019m really looking forward to it and hopefully we can get a result.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mitchell was a regular fixture in England training squads under Eddie Jones before being used as a dynamic replacement by Borthwick during the recent Six Nations, so it came as a shock when he was deemed surplus to requirements for the World Cup.<\/p>\n
The Saints half-back had to wait until the Fiji match a fortnight ago to make his first start in six caps as his patience finally paid off.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou appreciate you\u2019re in a really good position. You\u2019re still getting paid to play the sport you love and you are not far off,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe whole time you\u2019re not far off, you\u2019re in and out of camp so you\u2019re getting opportunities. You have just got to keep your head up and that\u2019s what I focused on.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mitchell\u2019s elevation to a central role in the main event of Pool D has come at a difficult time for England, who are reeling from five defeats in six Tests.<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2023\/09\/08\/12\/7a96e3a2a9486381f86a2eb7cd19859bY29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNjk0MjU2OTY0-2.73243116.jpg\")
\n![](\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2023\/09\/08\/12\/0647423a0cb19b852bb424e68082c3e2Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNjk0MjU1NjU3-2.58847170.jpg\")
\n![](\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2023\/09\/08\/12\/04e690fcd88503be05aca279ec114b0bY29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNjk0MjU2NDMw-2.73362655.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve got to try and control the game, get the team to tick and when I can imprint some tempo into the side. I\u2019ll try and do that, but stick to the game-plan,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe know we\u2019re a good side when we play well and stick to our style of play. The main thing is to do that and try to bring our X-Factor alive after that, if you can.\u201d<\/p>\n