England will fly to Scotland tomorrow intent on disproving the theory that they save their best form for the training paddock. For weeks the English backs have, by all accounts, been ripping it up behind closed doors at their Bagshot headquarters and the scrum-half Danny Care insists Saturday could be the day all the tireless preparation finally pays off.
The Scottish back-row will have other ideas – the Glasgow No8 Johnnie Beattie indicated that several home players will be sitting down to watch Braveheart on DVD tomorrow evening – but Care is adamant England will soon come spectacularly good as an attacking force. "When it does finally click, it's going to be something really special," said the Harlequins No9. "We've shown glimpses of how good we can be, but we've just lacked a clinical edge in finishing off tries. It's only that final touch that is missing. Hopefully we can do that this weekend."
Quicker ball at the breakdown, better decision-making and more accurate kicking would be a good start, but at least Care is keen to take the game to the opposition rather than sitting back and waiting for the Scots to implode. That could take time. Beattie, who has just signed a new two-year contract with Glasgow Warriors, has been described by his club coach, Sean Lineen, as having "the X-Factor" in terms of getting over the gain line, and the home pack are itching to have a crack at their English counterparts. "It's the most I've looked forward to a game in my career," Beattie said.
South of the border, too, the mood is quietly determined. It has certainly been a less contentious Calcutta Cup build-up than of late, with no English fly-halves dropped for visiting nightclubs and Steve Borthwick taking a more diplomatic tack than 12 months ago when he criticised Scotland's alleged lack of humility following England's 15‑9 defeat in 2008. The England captain has clearly learned his lesson: "Those things are long since past. What goes on outside of the four sides of the pitch is peripheral to us."
Borthwick is so keen not to ruffle feathers that he even declined to confirm whether, as a proud Cumbrian, he has some Scottish relations. "All my family are England supporters now," he replied cryptically. Even their loyalty will be tested, though, if England do not up the tempo for longer, sustained periods at Murrayfield this weekend and remain on the right side of the South African referee Marius Jonker.
The same official presided over England's home Calcutta Cup wins in 2007 and 2009 but has now been urged by Scotland's coach, Andy Robinson, to watch out for American-football style blockers running ahead of the visiting back line.
Care's response was suitably breezy – "I wasn't aware we had any linebackers in our team" – but Borthwick is taking no chances. "No referee has spoken to me about it," he said sternly. "What matters is not Andy Robinson's opinion or my opinion but Marius's opinion. We train and play within the laws of the game."
Regardless of the result, England will not be hanging around in Edinburgh either to gloat or drown their sorrows. With another away game against France looming, they have instead opted to fly home late on Saturday night, after barely 24 hours in Auld Reekie, rather than go carousing down Rose Street. Win or lose, next week's team announcement is also set to be pushed back to Wednesday.
