That was impressive from England. The southern hemisphere sides won’t be quaking in their boots just yet, but Eddie Jones and co made no secrets about just focusing on the win today. The big difference between this performance and those of years gone by was the lack of idiotic errors – they brought the kind of efficient professionalism you expect from a Jones team. Credit has to go to Hartley for setting an excellent example of that too, while there was some huge performances from Billy Vunipola, George Kruis and Mako Vunipola when he came off the bench. George Ford and Mike Brown were flaky in the backs, but Jack Nowell looked threatening every time he got the ball.
Scotland played well in fits and spurts, but were undone by a lack of composure once again. That’s not a new problem and Vern Cotter needs to find a way to eradicate it sharpish.
Anyway, that’s all from me for the day. Cheers for all the tweets and emails – sorry I couldn’t use them all. Join me again tomorrow for Ireland v Wales. Bye!
Updated
Full-time: Scotland 9-15 England
Back it goes to Ford, he boots it off the pitch and England retain the Calcutta Cup!
Updated
80 min Youngs makes a half-break round the fringe in the centre, taking England into the 22. Carries from both Vunipolas, then Lawes. The phase count goes into double figures, then England get a scrum when the referee gets in the way of Billy Vunipola. The No8 has been excellent and is rightly named man of the match.
79 min Lawes takes it and Nowell comes in off his wing to crash it up the middle. They work it left and inch towards the 22. The backs can probably put their feet up now...
78 min And that’s a very dominant start from George, winning his side a penalty at the scrum as Scotland crumble. Farrell to touch, halfway inside the Scotland half. I think this one is about done.
77 min Denton charges down the left but it goes loose and England have the scrum! Jamie George is on for the final three minutes. Hartley has done well today. Nothing spectacular, but he’s looked like a proper leader out there and hooked excellently.
76 min Up over halfway goes Taylor but England continue to tackle demonically. There’s such determination not to mess this one up and Scotland still can’t breach the line.
75 min Brown tries to send it high but slices into touch on the full from his own 10 metre line. Scotland win the lineout and move it inside.
74 min Scotland spin it into midfield from the lineout, then Hogg checks and tries to run from the pocket. Courtney Lawes is in his way and not feeling generous, so they reset a couple of times before Russell clears to Brown.
73 min England go through the phases, then Joseph stabs a kick through. Maitland watches it into touch, so Farrell rather unsportingly shoves him in the back before it goes into touch. That’s a very, very brainless penalty to give away. Farrell is a fine player, but he is prone to being painfully thick.
72 min Hogg thumps it into touch on halfway; he’s had a fine game today. Clifford wins the lineout and England get the advantage as they drive on. Left though they go and Watson steps through Hogg and towards the 22.
Updated
71 min Clifford has gone to open-side, while Swinson is on for Jonny Gray. Now it’s Scotland’s turn to drive their opponents backwards with some hefty hits in midfield. England are back on the 10 metre line so Youngs goes high, but Hogg calls the mark.
70 min Fagerson replaces Nel. He’s such an exciting prospect, the Glasgow prop. Speaking of exciting prospects, Clifford replaces his clubmate Robshaw for a debut of his own. A bit of kick tennis ends with Russell fumbling a slippery ball just outside his 22.
Penalty (Laidlaw 69) Scotland 9-15 England
Through the middle it goes and Scotland are still in this.
68 min Scotland go deeper, looking for some momentum, but when they go left Taylor is dragged into touch. England go quickly but then Brown kicks very poorly. He wanted to spiral it into the corner but it went straight to Hogg. And to exacerbate that, Lawes was in front of the kicker. Penalty Scotland, 30 metres out and right in front.
67 min Duncan Taylor is on for Seymour. Richie Gray takes the lineout at the front but England drive the maul back well. Scotland go right through the backs, but England drift well, with Haskell driving them back with a good tackle. Matt Scott has it but has been forced back beyond his own 10 metre line.
66 min This time the penalty goes Scotland’s way as Mako Vunipola’s knees buckle. Russell finds touch on the left, on the England 22. They need to score here, you would imagine.
Updated
65 min Poor throw from Ford and England nab the lineout ball. Then Seymour knocks on from Ford’s garryowen. Scotland’s composure is falling apart here. Stuart McInally on, Ross Ford off.
64 min Slow ball from the restart before Youngs clears straight to touch from just inside his 22. Scotland lineout five metres inside the England half and Swing Low swells up again. England’s fans have made a great noise today.
Penalty (Farrell 62) Scotland 6-15 England
The radar is fixed. Farrell sends it through to move England more than a score in front.
Updated
62 min That’s great work from Mako Vunipola and Dylan Hartley. Scotland go sideways and splinter and Farrell, from 40 metres out and 10 in from touch, will have a crack at goal.
Updated
61 min Ahh I’ve missed scrums. Haven’t you?
59 min Gray steals the lineout and Russell smacks the kick down the middle. Nowell fields and that’s a second waste in a couple of minutes from Russell. Scotland take the lineout quickly and look to counter down the short side, but there’s a forward pass. Cowan comes on for Barclay.
58 min Back to Ford who thinks about the drop-goal then switches play right to Brown. But then near-disaster as Youngs’ pass goes straight into the hands of Russell. He has Hogg clear outside him, but wastes the opportunity by booting it clear and into touch near halfway! Reid on for Dickinson for Scotland.
57 min It’s thrown long and Billy V sets the maul. Youngs pops it off the back to Watson, who is unable to find a way through. England reset though and are just a couple of metres out. This could be the game. Lawers drives on, then England drift right.
56 min England get a penalty at the lineout as once again Scotland are done for collapsing the maul. It’s kickable, but Hartley opts to go for the corner as he did so often for Northampton in 2013-14.
55 min Farrell finds touch near the Scottish 10 metre line on the left. Ben Youngs is on for Care.
54 min Absolute mess of a ruck and I’ve no idea how Haskell isn’t penalised for coming in from the wrong side and booting the ball. Eventually Laidlaw goes high and Brown takes it splendidly. Maitland went up with him and ended up underneath the England full-back, so he’ll feel harshly done by when Lacy penalises him for not rolling away.
53 min Care kicks long and Seymour takes well under pressure from Nowell and Joseph, who chased with great intent. Scotland retain possession, but England’s tackling remains superb.
52 min Farrell from the right-hand touchline pushes it across the face of goal.
Try! (Nowell 51) Scotland 6-12 England
England go through the phases, handling it very nicely. Vunipola pops it back inside to Farrell who give it right to Nowell. He heads for the outside shoulder of Seymour and puts on the afterburners, then slides over in the corner. That’s an excellent finish.
Updated
50 min Joe Marler goes off, with Mako Vunipola on in his place. England rumble back from the restart then Ford sends it high and Joseph taps it back well to Kruis. England in possession inside the 22 – a first visit in a long time.
49 min With boos ringing out as you’d expect at Murrayfield, it’s a rare miss from Farrell, cleanly struck but wide of the left-hand post.
48 min Kruis takes it, 11 metres inside the Scottish half. Jonny Gray collapses the maul and that’s a penalty. Farrell will look to score England’s first points for 34 minutes.
47 min Vunipola comes away under pressure and trips of Launchbury. Care clears long though and Hogg comes back with a searing run, slipping off two missed tackles and getting over the 10 metre line but Cole wins the turnover. Ford clears into miles of space in the Scottish 22 and Watson goes haring after it. It’s a good chase, but Hogg does brilliantly to get across and send it long into touch with the right boot. Lawes comes on for Launchbury.
46 min Long it goes to Jonny Gray, but he knocks on and England get the scrum. The throw was nowhere near straight, either, though that went unpunished. A combination of Ross Ford and John Lacy there, so that’s no surprise.
45 min Actually that was harsh on Cole, clearing out Jonny Gray from the ruck. Russell pumps the ball into touch on the Scotland left, 15 metres out.
44 min Ford kicks long but Hogg takes and sends it high. This time Ford is good under the high ball – Scotland certainly edged the aerial battle in the first half. Ah and now a penalty against, sigh, Cole for side entry at the ruck. I don’t think Cole will be in this England side by the end of the Six Nations.
43 min Farrell clears to touch down the right. That was really good from England, much better discipline. Hartley throws a couple of metres inside his own half and Kruis taps down to Vunipola.
42 min Scotland plugging away immediately at the start of the second half. England’s defence drifts and is solid though. Within 15, under the posts, then Russell steps but can’t get past Cole. Left again, but Scott is penalised for holding on. Hartley applauds his defence.
Updated
Peep! With the rain starting to fall – remember 2000? – Russell gets us back under way. Hartley goes to take, Haskell backs into him and the ball bounces straight back to Scotland! Bennett takes it into the 22 on the angle but is stopped well by Farrell. Left they go and Richie Gray makes ground out wide.
On a knife edge: Territory - ENG 50% - 50% SCO / Possession ENG 48% - 52% SCO / Defenders beaten ENG 7 - 7 SCO... https://t.co/dH0Ql0FB1p
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) February 6, 2016
The players are coming back out. Scotland have the momentum.
Very scrappy & indisciplined after the try @DanLucas86 Jones should shove a rocket up our arse. We handed momentum but lots of time left.
— Guy Hornsby (@GuyHornsby) February 6, 2016
Yes the breakdown is an issue. Scotland have won a good four or five turnovers there I reckon.
This couldn’t really be tighter. Scotland have come back very well after England dominated the opening 10 minutes or so, but both teams look frenetic and beset with nerves.
“We seem to have only one back row forward: Billy V,” notes my Dad. He’s right, too. Haskell and Robshaw have been outplayed comprehensively.
Half-time: Scotland 6-7 England
Richie Gray takes it at the front and Hardie bursts round the fringe of the maul to within five metres! Inside they go and Scott is chopped down. Now Jonny Gray drives but can’t make any ground. This is good defence from England – drop goal? Not yet, as Dickinson drives, with Scotland losing ground. Russell is back, but mishits his effort a la Parisse and it squirts dismally wide.
Updated
40 min Russell sends a lovely kick – he was just five metres infield – into touch just inside the England 22...
39 min Denton takes the restart and Scotland drive up out of the 22, hugging their left-hand touchline. Laidlaw goes high and Vunipola knocks on under pressure from Seymour. Cole dives on it and concedes the penalty. Scotland are familiar with that particular offence.
Penaltty (Laidlaw 38) Scotland 6-7 England
Easily chipped over and there’s a point in it.
37 min A huge push from Scotland but Vunipola gets away from the base sharpish. Launchbury takes it on, but holds on under pressure in the tackle and Scotland get the penalty under the posts!
36 min Taken at the back by Denton and Scotland set the maul. Seymour comes off his wing and takes the popped pass from Laidlaw, but knocks on under pressure from Joseph. Good work from the England 13.
Updated
35 min There is nothing between the teams at the scrum. Vunipola dithers at the base of this one and Laidlaw is there in a flash when Lacy calls that the ball is out. He’s obstructed by Care and Russell sends the ensuing penalty to touch near England’s 22.
33 min Billy V is turned over 12 metres inside the Scotland half and they send a long pass out wide to Seymour, but he drops it around halfway near the touchline. It’s got a very messy now.
32 min Scotland slow it down a bit, taking it into contact and not rushing the ball in midfield. Brown fields a high kick and offloads to Care, who finds a good touch down the left. It’s taken quickly by Russell and Hogg clears to Brown, who charges back into midfield with intent.
31 min Now Russell goes high and Ford gives it to Watson to run back. It goes back left to Joseph and he’s so close to wriggling through, but then Care’s pass behind Robshaw allows Scotland to win back possession in the middle of the pitch.
Updated
30 min Vunipola crashes up to halfway then Ford is hit fractionally late as he sends up a high one, which Hogg takes very well.
29 min But from wide-ish on the left, on the 22, Laidlaw hooks it. He turns and runs back, not realising he’s missed it. The restart from Ford is massively overhit and dotted down by Russell for a 22 drop-out of Scotland’s own.
28 min Great return kick from Hogg! Ford takes it just outside his 22 and is smashed by Seymour and Hogg. The No10 is forced to hold on and concede the penalty. That’s excellent work from the Scottish outside backs.
27 min Kruis takes it easily, then Brown looks to jink up to the 22. Eventually they opt to kick and Ford clears to Hogg.
Updated
26 min Launchbury is under pressure at the lineout and Robshaw has to go back and clean up the mess. He secures it on the floor, but England have lost 20 metres. Care goes high but too long and Hogg looks to launch the counterattack. It’s recycled to Russell in midfield and he sends a lovely spiralling kick into the space behind Watson and into touch 15 metres from the England line. Thank god Tom Youngs isn’t playing here, right?
25 min Farrell finds a good touch near the Scottish 10 metre line on the right.
24 min Hardie off the back of the lineout gives it to Denton, but Scotland can’t get clean ball at the ruck. Jonny, then Richie Gray add their weight, looking to drive over the gainline and finally Scotland get a bit of momentum. Richie Gray and Barclay then both go off their feet at a ruck.
23 min England continue to put width on it, with Brown carrying down the right. Side entry by Joseph at the ruck though and it’s another penalty to Scotland. Russell finds touch 10 metres inside the England half.
22 min Kruis wins the lineout 10 metres inside his own half and Care goes high, then the ball bounces off Maitland and they go right to Farrell. He stabs a kick through and Hogg is in trouble, but Seymour does well to get back and help him out. Russell clears to Brown on halfway; he swings it back inside to Watson.
21 min That was great work at the breakdown by Billy Vunipola.
20 min In fact it’s too wide for Laidlaw, so Russell puts it into touch just inside the England 22 on the right. Jonny Gray takes and pops it back out wide for Hardie to carry up to the five metre line. Maitland carries it on, but it’s spilled and England win the turnover! And at that, Scotland go off their feet and it’s a penalty to the visitors. Big miss for Scotland.
Updated
19 min Now they go right and Scott makes a half break, surging over the gainline. Side entry at the ruck by Watson and Scotland get another penalty, in a very similar position to the last. A wee bit wider, I guess.
18 min Ford also kicks the restart deep to Denton. He carries up to the 22, Laidlaw kicks long and Vunipola passes inside to Brown. One more phase then Ford goes high and Russell takes nicely on his own 10 metre line. Scotland go left and Hardie takes it up into contact, looking for the offload but unable to create a gap in the England defence.
Penalty (Laidlaw 17) Scotland 3-7 England
41 metres, with the angle, this one. The Gloucester scrum-half sends it sailing through the sticks.
16 min The restart is very deep to Ford, who misses touch from under his own posts and Hogg runs it back from 60 metres. They get up over the England 10 metre line and Robshaw fails to roll away from the tackle. Chance for Laidlaw to get his side on the board.
Conversion (Farrell 15) Scotland 0-7 England
As expected, Owen Farrell kicks the goals today and he slots a simple conversion from just to the right.
Try! (Kruis 14) Scotland 0-5 England
Very strong from both sides, then Vunipola has a go from the back. He’s well stopped by Hardie, but England reset and Kruis drives very low, through Richie Gray and over the line!
Updated
12 min England send it wide to Nowell who has a yard of space on the right. He chips ahead and gets a great bounce, which forces Hogg to field it in play. Nowell chases well and drives the full-back back over his own line, winning England the five-metre scrum.
11 min Up to 10 phases and England, with no momentum, take inspiration from Italy and get it back to Ford in the pocket. He has a go from 25 metres, straight in front, but misses badly with his drop-goal attempt. They carry back the restart from halfway.
10 min Good solid scrum from England and Nowell takes it into contact from first receiver in the middle. They go left, crabbing towards the line through Vunipola, 10 metres out now and Haskell charges through when they go back inside. Launchbury is driven back well though.
9 min Taken by Jonny Gray but the throw isn’t straight and England get the scrum. The feed into which will definitely be straighter. Ahem.
“Cocktails on me if Scotland win,” offers my new best friend Simon McMahon.
8 min Quickly off the top and Watson comes into midfield, midway inside the Scotland half. He stabs a diagonal kick through after stepping out a tackle from Seymour, but Nowell can’t get there and it’s a Scottish lineout just inside the 22.
Updated
7 min Richie Gray takes and returns to Ford, who burrows down the short side but gets taken into touch. England go quickly and work it left to Brown, who is up into the line – not something we’re used to seeing that often. Penalty England at the breakdown against Barclay for going off his feet.
6 min Taken in by Denton and Laidlaw goes high. Maitland challenges Watson well and the ball goes loose; Brown forced to scramble inside his 22 and he gets caught. England recycle and Care thumps to touch just the wrong side of his own 10 metre line. It’s been a frantic start.
Updated
5 min Scotland get a penalty as WP Nel gets the better of Cole. Expect to see a lot of that today. Russell kicks to touch down the right, eight metres inside his own half.
4 min They go left off the scrum and Joseph pops it back to Ford, who spills it. It’s very nearly intercepted by Laidlaw, but he can’t cling on so we go back to the scrum for the first knock on. We’re still on the Scottish 22.
3 min England get a free-kick from the first scrum a couple of metres inside the 22. Hartley calls for another as Swing Low drowns out Scottish boos. Stateements of intent and all that.
2 min Hartley’s throw is taken by Kruis and Vunipola smashes it up the middle. Ford sends the ball high and the ball is knocked backwards initially by Scotland under pressure from Farrell, but they spill it in the ruck.
Brian Moore, pleasingly, has lost his voice. He sounds like Tom Waits.
PEEEEP! John Lacy – oh no not him – blows his whistle and George Ford kicks off! Taken by Seymour close to the touchline and he’s quickly wrapped up. Scotland recycle it inside and Laidlaw clears towards Vunipola; he can’t take it though and Seymour taps back into touch.
“Right, what minute do we think Hartley will get a yellow card for doing something ridiculous?” asks Matt Dony. “I’m going for 28th.”
From memory, he has two in 66 caps.
Flower of Scotland: the second half is acapella. The Scots win this round comfortably.
Think we'll finish 2nd to Wales @DanLucas86. But only if we win today. What a feast this should be. What World Cup, eh? #6nations2016
— Guy Hornsby (@GuyHornsby) February 6, 2016
I agree, I just think England will lose today by six. Anyway, they’re finally doing the anthems. Plenty of English fans in by the sound of it. And, for those who care, Eddie Jones sings God Save the Queen. Who’d have expected to see that six months ago?
So is it brave new world for Scotland. Or will their fly half boot it as high in the air as he can? #SixNations
— The Middle Stump (@TheMiddleStump) February 6, 2016
They’re not Ireland!
...well, soon. They’re all talking to Princess Anne. Or Margaret. Or the Queen. Look I don’t know which one it is.
The players are out. Time for the anthems.
Updated
Oof.
Scotland haven't exactly had it easy in their opening matches in the #SixNations.https://t.co/PqdEvP1Cl9 pic.twitter.com/ur6rNguCxS
— BBC Rugby Union (@bbcrugbyunion) February 6, 2016
Of course, England will be happy if they can emulate the women’s team. Here’s how they got on last night, by, er, me.
And if you like nostalgia, here are five great Calcutta Cup matches from Murrayfield, plus one awful one with a cracking story. Again, by me. Sorry.
Pre-match correspondence
“Just nipping off to the pub now, obviously,” writes Robin Hazelhurst. “We’re running a side bet this year on how long Hartley will last as England captain. I’ve gone for him getting a yellow on 26 minutes because that still gives him time to get back on the pitch and pick up another one before half time. His captaincy career lasting less than one half? At least it’s longer than Chris Ashton’s comeback lasted. How long do you give him?”
Until the end of the summer at least, I reckon. He’s the right choice and was outstanding for Northampton when they were winning things.
Genuinely can't remember a Calcutta Cup or 6 Nations as open as this one @DanLucas86. Great for the neutral, terrifying for us England fans.
— Guy Hornsby (@GuyHornsby) February 6, 2016
Couldn’t agree more. I’m going for 1. Wales, 2. Scotland, 3. England, 4. France, 5. Ireland, 6. Italy. I think Scotland will win this one.
Updated
Good cause dept.
Ben Grier, a sports event management student at Manchester Met Uni, is hosting a Slim Jim’s Speakeasy to raise money for Concern Universal. Tell me you don’t want to go to a Speakeasy! Then stop lying and, if you’re about in Manchester on Tuesday, grab yourself some tickets here.
Preamble
Afternoon, folks. With all due respect to France v Italy – and you’ll notice that one’s still going on so for all I know it could be a cracker – this is the big one today. Arguably the most impressive of the Six Nations sides from last year’s World Cup up against the least, who nonetheless start this year’s tournaments as the bookies’, but not the pundits’, favourites.
Scotland genuinely have a chance of winning. Not just the Calcutta Cup today but the whole damn tournament. Finn Russell, Matt Scott and Mark Bennett make up perhaps the most exciting midfield in the northern hemisphere; the two Johns, Barclay and Hardie, on the flanks can make life a nightmare for anyone at the breakdown; in WP Nel they have perhaps the tournament’s outstanding front-row forward. And their coach, Vern Cotter, has an quite brilliant record with Clermont Auvergne.
Scotland haven’t won the Six Nations, well, ever, what with their last title coming in 1999 before the addition of Italy. They haven’t beaten England in eight years. No one should be surprised if they break those ducks today though.
England are looking for a seventh straight win over the Scots, but have a far greater point to prove. There’s no need to go back over how they stunk up the World Cup (sorry, Scotland fans, in case you were looking forward to that) but, with a new coach in place, the players – many of whom were part of that catastrophic failure – are playing to show him and a sceptical public that they belong in a white shirt.
The man under most scrutiny is Dylan Hartley, the new England captain who is best known for his extensive off-field community and charity work for Northampton, as well as his excellent disciplinary record at international level. The challenge for him is bringing that fiery edge that invigorated Northampton during their Premiership-winning season two years ago, while not self-immolating and, I don’t know, calling the referee a “fucking cheat” or something.
There seems to be a sense of disappointment among many supporters at Eddie Jones’ first team-sheet as England coach. Owen Farrell, the form fly-half in Europe alongside Dan Biggar, is out of position at No12, albeit through a lack of alternative options. Hartley has barely played for the Saints while Saracens’ Jamie George has been consistently excellent. There is no place for the brilliant Elliot Daly, nor Bath’s Semesa Rokoduguni, nor Matt Kvesic, the “proper” open-side who impressed off the bench last night for Gloucester. Jones said there would be “no more six-and-a-halfs” then picked James Haskell at No7.
But let’s give them a chance to play for him, yeah? We really don’t know what to expect from this brand spanking new setup. The likes of Daly, Josh Beaumont and Alex Waller will get their chance. Paul Hill, Jack Clifford and Ollie Devoto will off the bench today. Henry Slade will come back from injury and what a prospect that is.
Kick-off for this one is at the slightly silly time of 4.50pm GMT. Here are your teams.
Scotland
Stuart Hogg, Sean Maitland, Mark Bennett, Matt Scott, Tommy Seymour, Finn Russell, Greig Laidlaw; Al Dickinson, Ross Ford, WP Nel, Richie Gray, Jonny Gray, John Barclay, John Hardie, David Denton.
Replacements Stuart McInally, Gordon Reid, Zander Fagerson, Tim Swinson, Blair Cowan, Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, Duncan Weir, Duncan Taylor.
England
Mike Brown; Anthony Watson, Jonathan Joseph, Owen Farrell, Jack Nowell; George Ford, Danny Care; Billy Vunipola, James Haskell, Chris Robshaw; George Kruis, Joe Launchbury; Dan Cole, Dylan Hartley, Joe Marler.
Replacements Jamie George, Mako Vunipola, Paul Hill, Courtney Lawes, Jack Clifford, Ben Youngs, Alex Goode, Ollie Devoto.
Updated
.png?w=600)
