There was a time when the Calcutta Cup arrange residence south of the border.
From 1991 to 2020, Scotland received simply 4 Assessments towards England. The bragging rights have been red-rose tinted. It is a rivalry which dates again to the primary match between the 2 nations in 1871 in Edinburgh, a match Scotland received.
There was lots of water underneath the bridge since then, however Scotland have loved a near-unprecedented spell of current dominance within the fixture.
It began with their first win at Twickenham in 38 years in 2021, they usually made it 4 from 4 with a cushty 30-21 victory at Murrayfield final 12 months.
However there is a pleasant dab of unpredictability about this weekend’s instalment of the Calcutta Cup. England head into this third spherical fixture with a morale-boosting 26-25 victory over France to their title. Scotland, nevertheless, promised a lot however fell to Eire 32-18 at Murrayfield a fortnight in the past.
The strain is on each to ship, however for England, this might properly be a pivotal second within the Steve Borthwick period.
Win, and that France outcome wasn’t a fluke, however as a substitute a part of the method — a vindication of the religion confirmed within the nascent Fin Smith-Marcus Smith pairing.
Lose, nevertheless, and it turns into a well-recognized current story of Scottish stranglehold and renders the triumph in Le Crunch as yet one more flash-in-the-pan English victory. So what do England have to do on Saturday to take again the Calcutta Cup?
Get into the precise headspace:
The Calcutta Cup has been draped in blue and white ribbons prior to now 4 years. Again in 2021, their win at Twickenham got here in entrance of an empty stadium attributable to COVID-19 rules. Scotland celebrated in torrential rain, their shouts echoing across the huge floor.
Nevertheless it was an exorcism, their first victory at England’s dwelling since 1983. Heads cleared of demons, since then they have been dominant, successful 20-17 at Murrayfield in 2022, after which gorgeous England once more 29-23 at Twickenham in 2023 in entrance of a packed stadium the place the house followers might hardly have left their seats with extra haste.
Final 12 months’s win in Edinburgh felt unremarkable, a lot had the status-quo shifted. So for England, they must recognise why they’ve fallen brief towards Scotland, but additionally park any residual psychological scars given they’ve overwhelmed Scotland simply as soon as within the final seven years.
Courtney Lawes, the ex-England lock, stated in his column in The Instances that England’s current document towards the “Auld Enemy” was “embarrassing,” including that his former teammates must be “determined” to halt that slide on Saturday.
To get the gamers in the precise headspace, Borthwick has been exhibiting them clips of current Calcutta Cup horror tales. “It is a crew that is bought the wooden over us in the meanwhile,” Ben Earl stated earlier within the week. “It is bought a big-game really feel to it and that, extra occasions than not, has introduced the very best out of us.
“We have watched the final two video games we have performed [against Scotland]; they’re virtually unidentifiable by way of what we have been as a crew after we’ve been at our greatest over the past couple of years since Steve has are available. We’re not going to be in need of motivation, that is for positive.”
Keep aggressive and intense:
England’s stats towards Scotland have not made for glad studying. Borthwick’s facet made 24 dealing with errors at Murrayfield final 12 months and turned the ball over 22 occasions — hardly ideally suited.
So the gamers will take that into the match this week, figuring out they cannot afford to make the identical variety of unenforced errors if they’re to style victory.
Borthwick has additionally addressed their lack of physicality towards Scotland final 12 months, and Ollie Chessum is holding that entrance of thoughts forward of Saturday.
“Steve [Borthwick] talked about we did not hit arduous sufficient or play aggressive sufficient at Murrayfield [last year],” Chessum informed BBC Rugby Union Weekly. “As a gaggle we really feel like that recreation final 12 months was an actual turning level for us and the way we need to be as a crew. So this week is the true take a look at for us to see if we now have truly turned that nook.”
England will look to focus on Scotland’s scrum this weekend, however Borthwick desires accuracy, aggression and above all bravery from all of his crew on Saturday. They’ve seemed again on the win over France, and Borthwick desires his crew to proceed taking part in with the identical depth and intent as they did in that 26-25 victory.
He took coronary heart from how they recovered mid-match from errors, and tailored. They will must be exact on Saturday, and he is trusting Marcus Smith to re-tune his radar from the tee after he despatched a few wayward kicks towards France.
“Final 12 months’s match was a turning level for us. We weren’t pleased with how we performed in that recreation,” Ollie Lawrence stated this week. “We’ve got referred to it this week for example of how we do not need to play and what we do not need to seem like as a crew. And the way essential it’s this week to construct on what we have executed towards Eire and France.
“Hopefully, we are able to impose our gameplan on to Scotland and never enable them to return to our dwelling turf and impose theirs.”
Muzzle Van de Merwe and Russell:
England shall be sick of the sight of tormentors-in-chief Finn Russell and Duhan van der Merwe.
Take Van der Merwe, who has six tries in his final 4 appearances towards England. Some document. That story of tape features a hat trick final 12 months, and a double at Twickenham, in 2023.
There have been some outstanding scores, just like the 60-metre gallop in that final away win, and his second towards England final day trip as he managed to fold himself into the narrowest hole to attain within the nook. England shall be on crimson alert on Saturday.
“He is bought tempo and energy down that edge and if you happen to give him that house he’ll take it,” Borthwick stated of Van der Merwe. “What he is then bought is an enormous left-foot step to attempt to discover one other avenue. Basically denying him that house shall be essential. It’s a must to be actually on the cash defensively throughout the board.”
After which there’s Finn Russell, one of many world’s finest fly-halves. Most of the time, he has been among the many most distinguished thorns in England’s fleshy facet, linking up with Van der Merwe but additionally holding the match on a chunk of a string.
He was an damage doubt heading into this match, having sustained a concussion towards Eire, however he has handed his return-to-play protocols and can line up at No. 10 towards England the place he’ll come face-to-face along with his Bathtub teammate Lawrence.
“Typically Finn is in his personal world and he could make issues occur that not everyone else can see,” Lawrence stated of Russell. “One among his strengths is that he can create one thing out of nothing. He is a talent participant, he is bought an ideal passing recreation and an ideal kicking recreation.”
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Scotland win three Calcutta Cups in a row
Relive three traditional Six Nations video games between England and Scotland forward of their conflict in Cardiff this weekend.
– England vs Scotland: Kick-off time, how you can watch, crew information
– Who might change Warren Gatland as Wales head coach?
– Tom Hamilton on Gatland exit: This marks Wales Rugby nadir
– James Regan on France: ‘Golden era’ want title greater than ever
– WATCH: Relive a few of Six Nations’ traditional video games
– NEWS: Wales recall Gareth Anscombe, Max Llewellyn
– Six Nations and Girls’s Six Nations: Full fixture checklist
