At this rate they will be locking the Calcutta Cup in a display cabinet in Scotland and throwing away the key. For the fourth time in as many seasons Scotland have beaten England and this was the heaviest tartan thumping of the lot, orchestrated by the brilliant Finn Russell and illuminated by a spectacular hat-trick from England’s now-familiar nemesis Duhan van der Merwe.
Talk about a Flying Scotsman thundering into history. Van Der Merwe was the scourge of England at Twickenham last season and the 28-year-old was even more influential here as his side, for the first time in over 50 years, completed a quartet of wins in this ancient fixture. It has also breathed fresh life into Scotland’s title hopes while England, with Ireland and France still to play, must once again head homeward to think again.
The visitors could have no complaints whatsoever. They faded badly after a bright start and by the end their pack were being unceremoniously marched backwards, cheered on by an exultant home crowd. For years Scotland fans dreaded the punishment this game might bring. These days they would quite happily play England every week.
Van der Merwe, for one, certainly seems to respond positively to the sight of a white jersey. Both his tries against England at Twickenham last season were eye-catching finishes and there was a real swagger about his latest, too. Scotland were a long way from perfect but when they put the hammer down they are exhilarating to watch. Their use of quick restarts also put the English on the back foot and, even after a couple of wobbles, they kept playing with a cohesion and collective dynamism the visitors seldom matched. It gave Russell the perfect platform from which to pull the strings and Scotland’s baton twirler was never going to waste it.
The ingredients for a stirring Scottish afternoon had been there all day long. The weather was cold but, crucially, dry and the matchday walk to the stadium never lacks for partisan passion. Thoughtfully, they were even staging a sing-a-long performance of The Greatest Showman at the Playhouse for those without a ticket to see Russell, the rugby equivalent, strutting his stuff across town.
England’s mission, for those prepared to try and accept it, was to slam the lid on the Scottish ringmaster’s box of tricks. If they could find a way to achieve that with the ball as well as without it, so much the better. It was an encouraging moment, then, when George Ford sprang a perfectly executed strike move after just five minutes, releasing Elliot Daly on his shoulder to put a gleeful George Furbank over for a try to make Scotland stop and think.
Initially nothing much was going to plan for the hosts, from the bounce of the ball to the temporary loss of Zander Fagerson for a concussion check. Ford, having converted Furbank’s try, slotted a further penalty and the scoreboard read 0-10. For the first time in the championship, England had the supposedly vital fast start they were seeking.
Scotland urgently needed a response and quickly found one. Deft hands from Sione Tuipulotu put his centre partner, Huw Jones, away and a pop pass off the floor found Van der Merwe in support. The big wing stepped back inside the cover to score wide on the right and Russell made a tricky conversion look like child’s play.
England were showing more promise with ball in hand than at any previous stage in the tournament but costly errors are still holding them back. In their desire to play, a stray pass rebounded off Furbank’s head back into Scottish hands and suddenly Van der Merwe, with more than 60 metres to go, had the run of the left touchline. Off he surged past Ben Earl and Henry Slade and into the corner so close to the sideline it seemed he might be taking the mick. Russell, once again, drilled the angled conversion straight and true.
It is the way of the modern game: thrust and counter-thrust, momentum shifts materialising out of almost nowhere. Russell added a further penalty to make it 17-10 and, while Ford responded with another cool drop goal to add to his growing collection, England were behind at the interval for the third successive game.
Houdini by Dua Lipa, in the circumstances, felt a not entirely inappropriate choice of half-time track but against Italy and Wales this England side were up against lesser opposition. Despite the loss of a limping Tuipulotu, a perfect Russell chip rolled into the corner to put the visitors under more intense pressure and worse was about to unfold.
Tuipulotu’s replacement, Cam Redpath, somehow twisted out of trouble and burst back upfield before finally being brought to earth. Scotland had a perfect platform, though, and Russell’s shrewd cross-kick duly found the lurking Van der Merwe who completed his hat-trick with 35 minutes of the game still to play.
Ford responded with another penalty but, from the restart, George Martin knocked on to put his side right back under the cosh. It summed up England’s night: one step forward, two steps back.
Scotland, eyes now gleaming bright, tightened the screw and the early withdrawal of some of England’s supposedly key men told its own sobering story.
Manny Feyi-Waboso did cut an excellent line to score his first Test try in the final quarter but, by then, another flying wing had long since put the game beyond reach. Flip their agonising near-miss against France and Scotland would still be gunning for a grand slam. There is more to life than beating England but, equally, it never loses its lustre in these parts.
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