Ben Fisher 

Scotland 25-13 England: Six Nations – as it happened

Scotland shocked Eddie Jones’s side as Huw Jones scored two tries to earn a first Calcutta Cup victory in 10 years, beating England for the first time since 2008
  
  

Stuart Hogg of Scotland celebrates victory in the Six Nations match between Scotland and England.
Stuart Hogg of Scotland celebrates victory in the Six Nations match between Scotland and England. Photograph: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Read Paul Rees’s report from Murrayfield:

Well, how about that? A stonking result for Scotland, with a stellar performance to boot. England slumped on a miserable afternoon ultimately typified by silly errors. Thanks for your company. All the reaction from Murrayfield will be here in a moment or two. Until then, re-live all the action. Bye!

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Dylan Hartley says England “lacked intensity”, particularly in the breakdown. “We had a lot to chase in the second half, we gave it a good crack but ultimately it was too much. Scotland played a great game. It’s a quiet changing room, it’s disappointing and some players are down, but we have to learn from it.”

Here’s Gregor Townsend. “It’s a great feeling, we knew how important this week was going to be,” he says. “The players played with huge pride. It’s been a long time since we have had that trophy.” The only sad thing, a minor blemish, is that he referred to that rocking stadium as “BT Murrayfield”.

The Scots are going around on something of a lap of honour, soaking up the applause, deservedly milking what will be a lasting occasion after an imperious performance. In the background? The Fratellis’ thumper, Chelsea Dagger.

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Just before Barclay lifts the Calcutta Cup, the England coach, Eddie Jones, speaks. “Congratulations to Scotland, they were too good for us. It’s human nature, unfortunately we just weren’t in the game in the first 40. We knew what we were going to get but we didn’t just make that challenge today. We stuck in there and won the second half. I don’t know, I don’t think so.

England surrendered a shattering 13 penalties at Murrayfield. “It wasn’t flash today,” he adds. “We need to sit down and work out why we gave so many away. We have a lot to learn from this game.

John Barclay, the Scotland captain who was absolutely brilliant this afternoon, talks. “We have been fuelled by disappointment,” he says. “I guess that blows the competition open a bit now.”

Finn Russell, who has taken his fair share of flak, speaks. “It’s unreal for us,” he says. “I don’t think we surprised ourselves, we had a game-plan and we executed it really well. The last couple of games are going to be tough but if we keep performances up, we have got a chance.”

Full-time: Scotland 25-13 England

For the first time in 10 years, Scotland take victory in the Calcutta Cup. Murrayfield is absolutely rocking.

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80 min: Can you hear that? It’s a rousing rendition of the Flower of Scotland.

78 min: Anthony Watson jinks inside and then out as England edge closer. They suddenly bring a degree of directness and intensity to the table. But they need something special ... and, right on cue, Scotland earn another penalty. The Calcutta Cup looks to be heading to the Scots, and Eddie Jones, up in the Gods, he knows it. Into the final minute ...

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76 min: Jonny May has a whiff of a chance, surging down the left flank as he does best but there are half a dozen Scots surrounding him. No chance. England then go down the opposite side, with Nowell charged down by Finn Russell. The Scots will gladly soak this up.

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75 min: Jack Nowell gets England out of jail after another incisive Scotland break. They will welcome back Sam Underhill in 30 seconds. At the moment, that’s the only real positive to point to. Scotland look happy to keep tackling them to a standstill.

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72 min: A couple of changes: Launchbury is off, replaced by Kruis. Wigglesworth is on for Danny Care. England need a miracle, really.

70 min: Barclay and Watson continue to prove a real handful at the breakdown. England still have the ball, into an eighth phase, but Scotland are making them work for every yard gained. Itoje has just been walloped – fairly – to the floor. Gregor Townsend will be delighted with this defensive display, as much as their slick attacking moves.

69 min: Nothing is going England’s way, but they can only blame themselves. Lawes fails to release the ball and Scotland earn another penalty. England have conceded six penalties, compared to Scotland’s one, in this second half alone.

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Penalty! Scotland 25-13 England (Russell, 66 mins)

Finn Russell does the honours in Greig Laidlaw’s absence.

66 min: A meaty – but ultimately stupid – no-arms challenge by Underhill on Jamie Bhatti earns him a yellow card. The Murrayfield crowd are over the moon. England are down to 14 men for the next 10 minutes. And Scotland will doubtless lap up that penalty too.

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65 min: A change for the Scots, with Tommy Seymour – who looks in a lot of pain – replaced by 21-year-old local lad Blair Kinghorn. For England, Ben Teo replaces George Ford while Exeter’s Harry Williams is on for Dan Cole.

64 min: Scotland gladly pick up another penalty, with Lawes penalised for stepping over into the ruck. That was stupid.

62 min: Underhill is working wonders for England at the breakdown, with the onus firmly back on Scotland to cope with their man-power now. Meanwhile, for the hosts, Ali Price replaces Greig Laidlaw.

59 min: Nigel Owens is quick to stop a bit of afters between Launchbury and his opposite number. England need to find nine points from somewhere.

57 min: A penalty, just inside the Scotland 22 is a good starting point. Good work by Sam Underhill, just on, does brilliantly to get over the ball. A recap of those changes: Underhill on for Hughes, George on for Hartley, Nowell on for Brown as Watson shifts to full back.

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57 min: Jack Nowell is on for Dylan Hartley, among a flurry of England personnel changes. Something has to change for Eddie Jones’s side if they are to take anything away from this Murrayfield match-up.

57 min: Sean Maitland is causing the England defence a real headache. He is finding lots of joy down the flank, stopped in his tracks by a at-full-stretch Mike Brown this time.

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56 min: Underhill is on for England, with Hughes off.

55 min: No try! A Courtney Lawes knock-on laid the ball on a plate for Watson and Itoje to race on to, with Farrell eventually on the end of it. But that’s another big moment for England, but it’s not gone their way.

54 min: Owen Farrell thinks he has another try here, but Nigel Owens is checking everything’s OK with it ...

52 min: Peter Horne was – momentarily – coasting towards the try-line, with three team-mates for company on the overlap but the pass is poor, and Mike Brown intercepts to nab the ball away from Hamish Watson. That could prove a costly error by the Scots. Horne had plenty of options.

49 min: Joseph goes on a mazying run before Launchbury takes over. Then May is back on the front-foot down the left. But Scotland take back the ball, with Maitland v Watson again making an intriguing encounter. The Scots go deep to rebuild through Hogg and Finn Russell, with a measured grubber kick.

48 min: Stuart Hogg’s kick is a little wayward. He tuts and Scotland move on.

47 min: Maitland darts inside with power and pace, but as England intercept Laidlaw’s pass and burst forward, Owens pulls it back for a penalty to the Scots. Dylan Hartley asks the question about what was a huge decision but his feet were off the ground. Hogg will kick from distance ...

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46 min: Was this Eddie Jones at the interval? Maybe.

Try! Scotland 22-13 England (Farrell, 44 mins)

A good response has been rewarded. Owen Farrell latches on to a lovely pass, with Grant Gilchrist caught cold. Farrell does the honours with the kick too.

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43 min: Jonny May bombs forward down the left flank in search of the try-line but Scotland’s counterruck is adjudged to be good by Nigel Owens, and Scotland scramble to safety. Laidlaw hoofs the ball away from danger, watched all the way by Mike Brown. England will take stock. This kind of intensity is better, at least, for England.

42 min: Launchbury barges his way through Watson but that’s that. Scotland stand firm. Lawes and Itoje seek to help but the Scots steal it back. A wasteful start by England, so typical of their afternoon.

Peeeeeeeeeeeep!

The second period is under way, with Laidlaw clearing the ball early.

England are out very early for the second half. Scotland have only just poured out from the dressing room on to the field.

Half-time reading: take a peek at Michael Aylwin’s report from Dublin:

“Should have been a card for Scotland for that gouge attempt,” tweets Paul Waggott. “Instead they get a try. They’re getting the rub of the green so far.” That was pretty unsavoury by Ryan Wilson on Nathan Hughes.

Half-time: Scotland 22-6 England

Scotland are cruising at Murrayfield. England are staring the down the barrel, they have all sorts of problems on their hands.

40 min: A replay a moment earlier showed a possible eye gouge, following a scrap between the two No 8s. Nobody wants that.

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Try! Scotland 20-6 England (Jones, 38 mins)

Crikey, Murrayfield is absolutely rocking. Huw Jones flies through between Lawes and Farrell to touch down. Laidlaw will convert ...

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37 min: Scotland get the penalty again, and they are, Barclay, in particular, having plenty of joy at the breakdown. England are getting bit a ratty.

35 min: Another penalty for Scotland, as England are penalised for taking the man out. This is proving quite the afternoon for the Scots.

33 min: Grieg Laidlaw’s conversion falls short from 32m. But, what a break by Scotland. A killer counterattack by Gregor Townsend’s side, with the interception by Jones prompting that move, and ultimately, the try.

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Try! Scotland 15-6 England (Maitland, 32 mins)

Maitland gets over the line, after a slick break by the Scots. Finn Russell’s long pass tees up Maitland for the Scots’s second try.

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31 min: England off the hook – momentarily. Huw Jones breezes forward but Jonny May dives in to tackle just in time ...

30 min: Russell fails to intercept the England pass with two hands, and after a thorough shake of the head, it’s an England scrum.

28 min: Mike Brown’s pass is poor and Anthony Watson has no hope of reaching that. There was plenty of space to attack into but England fail to use it. Peter Horne’s tackle thumped into Brown and the chance has gone. England look to switch their game-plan to the left flank ...

27 min: The scrum collapses and England win the penalty, with Farrell booting the ball into touch for a lineout. This match-up has just quietened a little – for now, at least.

26 min: Scotland take a direct route, but Nathan Hughes is busy in the tackle, with England forced to work overtime. We’ll have another scrum.

24 min: Another scrum, after a short delay following what looked like a knock to Anthony Watson. He’s OK, though.

21 min: Lawes and Launchbury are the latest England pairing tasked with gobbling up some ground before Brown collects another kick. It’s quite a kicking game at the moment, with May the latest to react Maitland’s game of tennis. Russell is providing the touch of magic at the moment.

“Not a surprise to see Scotland get first blood,” tweets Guy Hornsby. “They’ve rattled England with a frantic, swarming start and we’ve not really got a foothold yet. England need to get some phases together & not get isolated. It’s predictably fast and loose.”

19 min: A brilliant kick by Finn Russell sees Scotland gain plenty of ground and advance into the England 22. England win the lineout, Courtney Lawes takes it down and the pack start to get the wheels turning. It’s kicked away, by which point Grant Gilchrist has already been penalised for destructing the maul.

Penalty! Scotland 10-6 England (Farrell, 18 mins)

He is heavily jeered but Owen Farrell kicks cleanly between the posts from 32m.

Try! Scotland 10-3 England (Jones, 16 mins)

Huw Jones seizes on a shambolic bit of defending by England, and storms over the line. He was the quickest to react, as Horne’s pass trickled free. And Greig Laidlaw easily converts.

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Penalty! Scotland 3-3 England (Farrell, 14 mins)

And England pull level through Owen Farrell’s kick.

13 min: Scotland’s Hamish Watson are told off by Nigel Owens, the referee, for not releasing and England have a penalty. Jonny May’s pace paid dividends in the buildup to that move.

11 min: The Scotland pass is forward and there’s a knock-on but England fail to use the advantage. They kick possession back to the hosts, and Scotland’s slicker style has made England look sluggish here. The Scots have enjoyed 61% of the ball so far at Murrayfield. This is quite a tempo. Can it last?

10 min: England are pushing Scotland back and back but they don’t have a lot to show for it. Russell collects a high kick, with Mike Brown sending it straight back at the Scots. Seymour feeds Wilson and the Scots again burst with pace. They have looked a lot quicker than England here.

7 min: Some light relief for England, as Scotland, this time, are penalised for not releasing the ball. Eddie Jones’s side needed that.

6 min: Seymour dances inside Farrell, after a powerful carry. Russell skips past one before feeding Horne and Scotland look pretty vibrant here. They are full of it, and England don’t seem to know what’s hit them. Murrayfield is alive and kicking.

5 min: Nathan Hughes has been at the heart of this England rucking so far. Jones’s side are making ground, but just as they look to be making waves, tremendous turnover work sees the Scots pick up a penalty.

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4 min: England are yet to taste any real possession. They certainly won’t be overjoyed with this start. Meanwhile, in the Premiership this afternoon:

Penalty! Scotland 3-0 England (Laidlaw, 3 mins)

That’s a pretty nifty start for the Scots, isn’t it.

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1 min: England concede a penalty, with Eddie Jones’s side penalised for not releasing the ball. Greig Laidlaw is eyeing an early kick between the posts ...

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Peeeeeeeeeeep!

And we’re off at Murrayfield. Finn Russell gets things started with a kick, seized by Joe Launchbury, on his 50th cap.

And here come the national anthems. Kick-off is imminent.

Reports of a scuffle before the teams lined up in the tunnel, with Farrell among those said to be involved. More on that as and when.

The teams are in the tunnel. Dylan Hartley looks absolutely pumped, verging on ravenous. Scotland explode on to the Murrayfield pitch, with all of the pre-match bagpipes and pyrotechnics to boot. And Princess Anne is on the scene too.

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JK Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter books, is among those in place this afternoon:

Chelsea Dagger is ringing around Murrayfield, with kick-off fast approaching. A little earlier, Ireland got the better of Wales in Dublin:

To Edinburgh, where scarves and hats are a necessity. Mike Brown has caught 17 balls in this Six Nations tournament already, nine more than anybody else. “You have to take care of that part of the game, and Mike will do it,” says the former England captain, Martin Johnson.

The teams!

Scotland: Hogg, Seymour, Jones, Horne, Maitland, Russell, Laidlaw; Reid, McInally, Berghan, Gilchrist, J Gray, Barclay, Watson, Wilson
Replacements: Lawson, J Bhatti, WP Nel, Swinson, Denton, Price, Grigg, Kinghorn
England: Brown, Watson, Joseph, Farrell, May, Ford, Care; M Vunipola, Hartley, Cole, Launchbury, Itoje, Lawes, Robshaw, Hughes

Replacements: George, Marler, Williams, G Kruis, Underhill, Wigglesworth, B Te’o, J Nowell

Preamble

Scotland and England come into this game in pretty good nick. Gregor Townsend has not shuffled the pack for the first time as head coach, so impressive was that tight win over France. As for Eddie Jones, he has only tweaked personnel, with the monstrous Nathan Hughes – Jone thinks he is in peak physical condition – replacing Sam Simmonds at No 8. The prop Joe Marler, meanwhile, is back after serving a six-week suspension. It is unlikely to be all rosy for the Scots after this one – England are heavily fancied to run riot – and it is tough to see how they will break down one of the world’s best defences, one that is only too happy to infringe – legally. England are on a seven-match winning streak against the Scots, who have won eight of their last nine matches on home turf.

Jones, it seems, has not been too impressed by Scotland’s pre-match splurging and talking. “They have brought out every strategy you can think of,” he said. “It’s designed to get them up for the game. We’re up for the game, regardless of what’s said.” His first task when taking over as England coach two years ago was a trip to Edinburgh and, fast forward until now, he is pleased with his side’s progress. He reckons they have improved “conservatively” by 40%. This Calcutta Cup match will be another opportunity to measure that progress.

Kick-off: 4.45pm

 

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