“It will be the most competitive Calcutta Cup in years.”
That’s the phrase on everyone’s lips right now and rightly so because despite Scotland’s last win at Twickenham Stadium being back in 1983 this Scotland side have have shown the facets needed to ruffle English feathers on Saturday and believe that they can win.
Here's the thing... I would add a suffix to that phrase and it would contain the words 'but England will prevail.' By all accounts it should be an excellent rugby showcase however I believe that on home soil England will take the victory and press on with their quest for another Grand Slam and putting their names in the record books.
Why? Well, this England side know that they haven’t hit their straps performance wise during this Six Nations yet they've continued to win. Over the course of their winning-run they've developed a hard edge and a belief. They're combative and experienced and the feeling that I get is that there’s an almighty performance brewing and one that will be unleashed on Scotland.Of course the memories of what most refer to now as 'ruck gate' are still fresh in many people's minds and as you'd except Eddie Jones was asked about that topic during his press conference on team announcement day. England's head coach made it perfectly clear that that he doesn’t believe Scotland will duplicate such actions this weekend:
“There’s the spirit of the game and I know Scotland are going to participate in the spirit of the game, so we don’t need to worry about anything.”
With this one statement he’s both praised Scotland and laid down a challenge to them. That challenge is this; beat us at your own game and the game that we’ve seen you deliver all Six Nations. That game thrives off the instincts of the likes of Stuart Hogg and Finn Russell and is based on the more 'unsung' work of those around them. Like Eddie Jones I doubt that Vern Cotter’s side will choose to employ a deviation from what's got them to this point and if they do then I expect England to react sharpish and with purpose.
Now we’re all very used to the phrase ‘starters and finishers’ now - whether you like it or not it's here to stay - and it's fair to say that England's finishers catch the eye. In amending his labels Eddie Jones has stressed the point, time and time again, that rugby is a 23 man game and I believe that we'll see that more than ever on Saturday. If benches didn't come into it then Scotland have their eyes fixed on the prize yet with two Vunipolas, Tom Wood's work rate, Danny Care's tempo, Anthony Watson's finishing and the directness of Ben Te'o England have considerable firepower. In listing those players I haven't even come onto their replacement front row that David Flatman said said could cause 'outright carnage' and there's a man that knows his onions! We saw the impact of England's quite clearly against France and I wouldn't be surprised if again they swung the match on Saturday early evening.
Nearly clearly the news of the day today (Thursday) was the concern about Owen Farrell and the leg injury that he looked to pick up at the end of training. Despite Eddie Jones’ slightly elusive answers regarding what happened to the back during his press conference, he expects the Saracen to take to the field on Saturday. The character of Owen Farrell is that unless he is on one leg he’ll get out there and deliver. Of course it adds a whole new dynamic the inside-centre isn't available but we'll cross that bridge if we have to come to it and further OOTF thoughts will arrive if required!
The long and the short of this Calcutta Cup clash is that Scotland are in a great place and are set to play their part in what I believe will be an outstanding showcase of RBS 6 Nations Rugby. Vern Cotter's backs are evasive and challenging and their locks industrous yet they could struggle at the set piece. A fast start is what England desire - they haven't had one yet this campaign - however if it doesn't arrive that doesn't mean that it's game over.
Personally I'm hoping for a tremendously physical Test match with both sides' backs showing off to each other in order to put points and the board and the 2017 Calcutta Cup being a game that goes down in history as one of the best contests of all-time. Too much to ask for?!? Of course not because I believe that it's good to aim high and that both sides will deliver on Saturday afternoon in South West London.
Personally I'm hoping for a tremendously physical Test match with both sides' backs showing off to each other in order to put points and the board and the 2017 Calcutta Cup being a game that goes down in history as one of the best contests of all-time. Too much to ask for?!? Of course not because I believe that it's good to aim high and that both sides will deliver on Saturday afternoon in South West London.
England: 15 Mike Brown 14 Jack Nowell 13 Jonathan Joseph 12 Owen Farrell 11 Elliot Daly 10 George Ford 9 Ben Youngs 1 Joe Marler 2 Dylan Hartley (c) 3 Dan Cole 4 Joe Launchbury 5 Courtney Lawes 6 Maro Itoje 7 James Haskell 8 Nathan Hughes Replacements: 16 Jamie George 17 Mako Vunipola 18 Kyle Sinckler 19 Tom Wood 20 Billy Vunipola 21 Danny Care 22 Ben Te'o 23 Anthony Watson.
Scotland: 15 Stuart Hogg 14 Tommy Seymour 13 Huw Jones 12 Alex Dunbar 11 Tim Visser 10 Finn Russell 9 Ali Price 1 Gordon Reid 2 Fraser Brown 3 Zander Fagerson 4 Richie Gray 5 Jonny Gray 6 John Barclay (c) 7 Hamish Watson 8 Ryan Wilson Replacements: 16 Ross Ford 17 Allan Dell 18 Simon Berghan 19 Tim Swinson 20 Cornell Du Preez 21 Henry Pyrgos 22 Duncan Weir 23 Mark Bennett.
Scotland: 15 Stuart Hogg 14 Tommy Seymour 13 Huw Jones 12 Alex Dunbar 11 Tim Visser 10 Finn Russell 9 Ali Price 1 Gordon Reid 2 Fraser Brown 3 Zander Fagerson 4 Richie Gray 5 Jonny Gray 6 John Barclay (c) 7 Hamish Watson 8 Ryan Wilson Replacements: 16 Ross Ford 17 Allan Dell 18 Simon Berghan 19 Tim Swinson 20 Cornell Du Preez 21 Henry Pyrgos 22 Duncan Weir 23 Mark Bennett.
