venue: murrayfield, edinburgh date: Saturday, February 24th kick off: 16:45 GMT |
coverage: Watch live from 16:00 GMT on BBC One, iPlayer and online and listen to live commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio Scotland. Live text and video clips are available on the BBC Sport website and app. |
When Scotland and England meet on Saturday in the 130th Calcutta Cup, the competition is as fierce as ever.
Will Scotland be able to beat England for the fourth time in a row, or will Steve Borthwick's side win and continue their Grand Slam challenge?
It will be an important match for both sides in this season's Six Nations.
Where is the winner of the game decided?
Scotland found a way to win
Gregor Townsend's side have been in the Calcutta Cup since 2021, when they defeated England at Twickenham. This turnaround in fortunes came after England won nine games between 2009 and 2017.
Thanks to their newfound competitiveness, the last five meetings have all come within one point, with the 2019 game ending in a 38-38 tie.
Scotland won their last match against England at Murrayfield in 2022 by three points, and in 2023 they won by six points at Twickenham.
Saturday's winner is likely to be decided by a close margin once again.
“Scotland have been able to produce individual moments of brilliance more consistently and the rest of the game has been more solid,” former Scotland captain John Barkley said on BBC Radio 5 Live.
Home advantage, which Townsend described as Scotland's “most important game of the season”, will also give the hosts an added advantage on Saturday.
“It's history. It's emotion,” Townsend said. “We saw the impact this game had on the Scottish supporters when we managed to get a win and that will be our driving force on Saturday.”
But Ben Earl said England were ready to deal with the atmosphere at Murrayfield, saying: “You've got to love Murrayfield. If you don't, you're playing the wrong sport at the wrong level. I really love Murrayfield.''
Can England stop Van der Merwe?
In a tense game at Twickenham last year, Duane van der Merwe stepped up as Scotland's hero.
The powerful winger showed off his speed and sharp footwork to score a sensational solo try before using his size and strength to bulldoze through and score a crucial second-half goal.
World Cup-winning South African assistant coach Felix Jones was brought in to improve England's defence.
Part of the blitz system he introduced involved wingers popping out from the flanks to shut down attacks, which was particularly evident in the closing stages of the win against Wales.
But will it work against Scotland?
“Finn Russell has all the tricks to expose them,” Barclay added.
Being able to cover ground quickly is essential and the surprise selection of full-back George Firbank, who is more agile than Freddie Steward, could help cut off any attempts by Russell to beat the press. .
System errors also occurred in the first two rounds, giving Van der Merwe only half a chance of adding to his previous two tries this Six Nations.
Attacking rugby or kicking rugby?
Since taking over as Scotland's head coach in 2017, Townsend has transformed Scotland into one of the most exciting nations in attacking rugby.
Not only is this style a crowd pleaser, it has also seen England dominate in recent years.
However, Scotland have failed to reach the finals of the last two World Cups and are yet to win a Six Nations title.
England head coach Steve Borthwick has opted for a pragmatic kicking game and a statistics-driven approach in his first year of Test rugby. This is a philosophy opposite to Townsend's.
The evolution of England's game plan was evident in their opening two games, but they resorted to old ways to round out their win against Wales.
“If they perfect this game plan or get close to where they want to go, I think this England team's chances are much greater,” former England winger Hugo Moyn told Rugby Union Daily.
Even if you beat the ugly, you won't get many popularity points. But eight wins from their last nine games shows it's working for Borthwick.
but “Choice that emphasizes attack” The return of playmaker Firbank and the return of center Ollie Lawrence to “knock some doors down” could point to a new direction.
“I think Scotland kicked over 1,500 meters against France, which is one of the highest records ever recorded in Test rugby,” Borthwick pointed out, noting that the statistics sometimes reveal surprises. .
russell vs ford
A heretic against the mastermind.
Fly-half Russell is at the heart of Scotland's attack and showed just how unstoppable he is in attack in the first game against Wales, scoring 27 points in 43 unrestrained minutes.
England's George Ford also had a notable impact against Wales, winning 50-22 in the closing stages, giving his team vital field position and allowing them to score the game-clinching penalty.
The 30-year-old is not as gifted offensively as Russell, but is just as effective through his intelligent kicking game.
England assistant coach Richard Wigglesworth said: “They are different players but they have reached the pinnacle of being elite international rugby players.”
Critics' predictions – Scottish favorites
Former Wales flyhalf Jonathan Davies said on the Six Nations Rugby Special: “Scotland don't have to worry about England. They've already beaten England several times.”
Barkley said on 5 Live. “Scotland are nine points behind.''
Former England captain Matt Dawson said this on the BBC Scotland Rugby Podcast. “If you can create that aura around you, I believe Scotland are making huge strides towards that, but it’s very difficult to go into their backyard and win.”