Steve Borthwick gets his England reign underway against Scotland in round one of the Six Nations at Twickenham on Saturday.
England v Scotland
Saturday 4 February
Twickenham
18:45
To Win (80 mins)
England 1/4 | Draw 25/1 | Scotland 3/1
Handicap
England (-10.5) 9/10 | Scotland (+10.5) 9/10
This marks the Roses’ first Test since the departure of Eddie Jones, with his former assistant and Premiership-winning Tigers coach Borthwick looking to implement his playing philosophy as quickly as possible within the national setup. With all eyes on the World Cup at the end of the year, the former Saracens skipper may be prioritising performances over results this campaign.
That’s not to say the English won’t be out to win every game they play. They’ll definitely be eyeing a victory at home here to get their supporters back on their side; especially given the hostile nature of the Twickenham response to the team’s November defeat to the Springboks.
England won’t lack for motivation, but how quickly they are able to execute their new coach’s game plan against a settled Scottish outfit will be vital for them.
Ever wondered how it feels to wear the thistle? 🏴
— Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) January 31, 2023
Hear first hand from your Scotland heroes about their experiences. This week - The Calcutta Cup 🏆 pic.twitter.com/cqqL6mHQIS
Gregor Townsend’s charges have had possession of the Calcutta Cup for four of the last five years, following up their 6-11 victory at Twickenham in 2021 (their first at the venue in 38 years) with a 20-17 win at Murrayfield last season. A victory this weekend would be the first time the Brave Hearts have claimed three in a row over their old foe since 1972.
The visitors will be aiming to capitalise on the relative instability within the England camp, and with the likes of Finn Russell in such fine fettle, they should be well up for it. When accounting for some of the displays Glasgow and Edinburgh have been putting out this season too, there is plenty of room for Scottish optimism.
Borthwick is a fantastic coach and is sure to grow in his role as his tenure goes on. However, Scotland have shown a real affinity for playing England since Townsend took over and they should take advantage this weekend.
Teams
England
15 Freddie Steward; 14 Max Malins, J13 oe Marchant, 12 Owen Farrell (captain), 11 Ollie Hassell-Collins; 10 Marcus Smith, 9 Jack van Poortvliet; 8 Alex Dombrandt, 7 Ben Curry, 6 Lewis Ludlam; 5 Ollie Chessum, 4 Maro Itoje; 3 Kyle Sinckler, 2 Jamie George, 1 Ellis Genge
Substitutes: 16 Jack Walker, 17 Mako Vunipola, 18 Dan Cole, 19 Nick Isiekwe, 20 Ben Earl, 21 Ben Youngs, 22 Ollie Lawrence, 23 Anthony Watson
Scotland
15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Kyle Steyn, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Sione Tuipulotu, 11 Duhan van der Merwe, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Ben White, 8 Matt Fagerson, 7 Luke Crosbie, 6 Jamie Ritchie (captain), 5 Grant Gilchrist, 4 Richie Gray, 3 WP Nel, 2 George Turner, 1 Pierre Schoeman
Substitutes: 16 Fraser Brown, 17 Jamie Bhatti, 18 Simon Berghan, 19 Jonny Gray, 20 Jack Dempsey, 21 George Horne, 22 Blair Kinghorn, 23 Chris Harris
Verdict: Scotland (+10.5) 9/10
Personally, I’m on Scotland to win this game at 3/1. Get on the plus if you’re looking for a healthy insurance buffer.
