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'Expect high balls galore and high passion' - Scotland v England preview, team news and stats

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Published in Rugby
Friday, 07 February 2020 09:59

Scotland host England in the Calcutta Cup at Murrayfield on Saturday with both teams desperate to keep their Six Nations title dreams alive.

Last weekend Scotland put in a spirited display but lost to Ireland in Dublin, while England's nightmare start led to a heavy defeat by France in Paris.

Scotland have made just one change - Magnus Bradbury coming in at number eight - but England have made five.

The hosts will bid to keep the Calcutta Cup for the third year running.

Scotland beat England 25-13 in the 2018 encounter at Murrayfield.

Last year's match at Twickenham ended 38-38 after Scotland fought back from 31-0 down to lead, only for England to grab a stunning late draw.

And with challenging weather conditions expected, this year's fixture could be equally dramatic and hard to predict.

Commentator's notes

Andrew Cotter: Matches between these two sides come with enough baggage, but on Saturday it is a game of real pressure. Whoever wins can look forward to a revitalised championship while the loser will be contemplating difficult times ahead.

For Scotland, head coach Gregor Townsend makes just one change, with the fit-again Bradbury returning - a clear message that not too much is broken, but territory and possession simply have to be turned into points.

Eddie Jones' selection is interesting, with effectively three open-sides in the back-row hoping to boss the breakdown in a way they could not manage in Edinburgh two years ago. And loading six forwards on to the bench may be a nod to the grim weather forecast around kick-off.

Expect high balls galore and high passion as ever. This Calcutta Cup may not be pretty, but it will be fascinating to watch with so much at stake.

View from both camps

Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend: "This is the most important fixture that we play every year. We play for a trophy, it's the oldest game in the history of Test rugby and we know what it means to our supporters if we win this game.

"It's nice that there's a bit of spice about the build-up. Rugby is a contact sport so you have to get yourself fired up for that contact.

"We know England are a very physical team, their game is based on a few things but the number one is winning gain-line in attack and defence. We know we have to be even more physical than we were last week to win this game."

England head coach Eddie Jones: "We're not happy with how we played in the first 40 minutes against France and this is a new game and we have a great chance to play well.

"Consistency is a challenge for every team. Sometimes the circumstances make it difficult to find your best and we found that last week.

"We're always trying to learn and find ways to get better, we had a good lesson last week. Sometimes these things need to be learned."

Team news & line-ups

Back row Bradbury replaces Edinburgh team-mate Nick Haining in the only change to the Scotland starting XV.

Fly-half Finn Russell remains in exile following disciplinary issues, meaning Adam Hastings makes a first Six Nations start at Murrayfield.

Scrum-half Ben Youngs is dropped to the bench in one of five England changes, with 33-year-old Gloucester half-back Willi Heinz making a first Six Nations start.

Saracens pair Mako Vunipola and George Kruis come into the pack, while Northampton flanker Lewis Ludlam is preferred to club team-mate Courtney Lawes at six.

Leicester centre Manu Tuilagi has been ruled out with the groin injury that forced him off in Paris, meaning a first Six Nations start since March 2018 for Bath's Jonathan Joseph, while George Furbank remains at full-back after struggling on his debut last week.

Second chance for Furbank

2003 World Cup winner Paul Grayson on Radio 5 Live: "It is the right choice to give George Furbank another go because he has played so well this year.

"He did not have his best game in Paris, and made uncharacteristic mistakes. He should get another go because if he doesn't then the coach has no faith in him at all.

"Facing France away in the rain, in a terrible England performance which he contributed to, is a tough ask for your debut match. It would be grossly unfair not to give him another go."

Scotland: 15-Stuart Hogg (capt), 14-Sean Maitland, 13-Huw Jones, 12-Sam Johnson, 11-Blair Kinghorn, 10-Adam Hastings, 9-Ali Price; 1-Rory Sutherland, 2-Fraser Brown, 3-Zander Fagerson, 4-Scott Cummings, 5-Jonny Gray, 6-Jamie Ritchie, 7-Hamish Watson, 8-Magnus Bradbury.

Replacements: 16-Stuart McInally, 17-Allan Dell, 18-Simon Berghan, 19-Ben Toolis, 20-Nick Haining, 21-George Horne, 22-Rory Hutchinson, 23-Chris Harris.

England: 15-George Furbank, 14-Jonny May, 13-Jonathan Joseph, 12-Owen Farrell (capt), 11-Elliot Daly, 10-George Ford, 9-Willi Heinz; 1-Mako Vunipola, 2-Jamie George, 3-Kyle Sinckler, 4-Maro Itoje, 5-George Kruis, 6-Lewis Ludlam, 7-Sam Underhill, 8-Tom Curry.

Replacements: 16-Tom Dunn, 17-Ellis Genge, 18-Will Stuart, 19-Joe Launchbury, 20-Courtney Lawes, 21-Ben Earl, 22-Ben Youngs, 23-Ollie Devoto.

Match facts

Head-to-head

Scotland

England

Match officials

Referee: Pascal Gauzere (France)

Touch judges: Mathieu Raynal (France) & Federico Anselmi (Argentina)

TMO: James Leckie (Australia)

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