Key events
15m ago
TRY! Scotland 31-13 England (Jones, 53)
27m ago
Penalty! Scotland 24-13 England (Ford, 45)
48m ago
Half-time: Scotland 24-10 England
52m ago
Red card for Arundell! 38 min
1h ago
TRY! Scotland 24-10 England (White, 27)
1h ago
Penalty! Scotland 17-10 England (Ford, 26)
1h ago
TRY! Scotland 17-7 Scotland (Arundell, 22)
1h ago
TRY! Scotland 17-0 England (Ritchie, 14)
1h ago
TRY! Scotland 10-0 England (Jones, 10)
1h ago
Yellow card, England! Arundell, 9
1h ago
Penalty! Scotland 3-0 England (Russell, 5)
2h ago
The teams
2h ago
Preamble
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65 min: Scotland inches away after great work from the line-out. They’re so close. Cherry with a couple of drives. They have to score. Fagerson is there! No he’s not. They spill it but it’s OK as they have the penalty advantage. They’ll want to keep the ball down here for as long as possible. Or, of course, bag a game clinching try.
62 min: Scotland exit. England throw to the line around halfway but Scotland pinch a turnover. Steyn on the right wing plucks out a stunning take as if he were a cricket fielder on the boundary. Darge carries straight at Smith who holds firm. Scotland inch over halfway before Horne hoists it high. Earl catches it near the touchline on his 22 before he’s bundled out of touch. A lovely kick from Horne. Couldn’t have placed that any better and it means Scotland get the line-out throw just on England’s 22.
60 min: Another scrum penalty. This time it really is a last warning for Scotland before a yellow card is shown. Millar-Mills nailed for illegally wheeling. England back into the 22 off the top of a line-out. Mitchell snipes, beats his man, tries to free his arms but knock-on just at the last. Excellent from Mitchell until it wasn’t. But Scotland have to scrum under their own poles.
Paul Opie has a recipe for success:
Less box kicks, more Mitchell, g o to ground if tackled. Add one Pollock. England turn this around.
59 min: Scotland’s scrum is now functioning with a bit more confidence. They get this away but they’ll have to pack down again as Darge spills a short Russell pass that he wasn’t expecting. Stop start for a wee bit. Again, Scotland won’t mind if we staccato our way to the close.
58 min: A correction. Fin Smith has come on to replace Arundell. I know, it’s confusing. But England now back to 15.
They’ll contend with a scrum for Scotland after Pollock knocks on. The sting has been taken out of the game for the past five minutes. Not that Scotland will mind. This is going superbly for them. But they won’t want to let England back in this. An English try in the next few minutes could make things interesting.
57 min: Jamie George and Henry Pollock come on as England return to 15. Reminder that Arundell’s red card was just for 20 minutes. He can’t come back, but he can now be replaced. We’ll get started again with a Scottish line-out between their 22 and halfway.
56 min: England are back where they were just before Ford’s drop goal was charged down. But they’re too slow and Darge stoops low to win a breakdown penalty off Pepper. Flow of Scotland is being sung by the 100,000 Scots inside the Stadium.
ShareTRY! Scotland 31-13 England (Jones, 53)
Scotland pull away in remarkable fashion! A dozen phases had England in Scotland’s 22 and Ford dropped a little deep to unfurl a drop goal. But not deep enough and Fagerson charged him down. Then the bounce was kind and Fagerson had it again and had the sense to pass to his left for Jones who sprinted all of 50 metres to score under the poles. Russell could have back-heeled that over to add two more. Is that the game?
51 min: A new front row for Scotland as Millar-Mills and Cherry enter the scene. Let’s see if that shores things up. Nope, England milk another penalty, their fourth at the scrum. Pepper makes good ground from slow ball. Freeman does likewise out on the right. Dingwall, Steward and Earl combine well down the left. They’re looking very good until Dingwall is nailed by Dobie. Still, England in the 22 and building.
50 min: Another scrum, this one on halfway. This time for England as Scotland repay the favour of spilling the ball on the ball. Earlier a swift exit meant that Scotland could clear their lines.
49 min: England spill the ball under the shade of Scotland’s poles! Genge made a monster carry but once he went to ground the ball was spilled forward. Not that England will mind scrumming down here.
Before that, Mitchell showed his class as he sniped down the blind side following a stiff maul from a line-out. He found a gap and almost got an off-load away under pressure. England were well set before that Genge spill.
Schoeman is subbed on. Scotland need to find some solidity in the scrum.
47 min: Scotland want to play away from their own patch. So they’re kicking deep. Freeman runs it back. Freeman has it again after Ford proves that he has so much time on the ball. Tuipuloty makes a tackle on Freeman but doesn’t roll away and gives away a soft penalty on the floor. Ford hoofs it out. Pollock is getting ready to join the party.
SharePenalty! Scotland 24-13 England (Ford, 45)
England take a bite of the elephant. They’ll want to scrum as much as possible now. Their set piece is utterly dominant.
England’s George Ford scores a penalty. Photograph: Jane Barlow/PAShare
Updated at 12.59 EST
44 min: Another scrum penalty for England. Nika Amashukeli warns Tuipulotu that another one will result in a yellow card. Ford lines up a simple penalty shot bang in front of the sticks.
43 min: Good work off the top of the line-out following a drive, then Itoje is hit as he runs a lovely midfield line. He makes good ground but the ball dribbles forward after the tackle. Simple work and almost perfectly executed. Better, but not good enough for England. Scrum to Scotland inside their own 22.
41 min: Scotland go over the top from a line-out and find Tuipulotu on the gallop. But there’s a penalty given away on the ground shortly after as Steyn is wrapped up by two English defenders and fails to release. Ford rakes a long touchfinder to set up an English line-out short of Scotland’s 22.
The players are back out. If the second 40 is as fun as the first we’ll be talking about this game for generations to come.
Timothy Beecroft is posing a phislophical headscratcher:
How many of those first half points were scored because of offensive brilliancy? And how may by defensive idiocy?
Let’s go through them:
Jones’ try = brilliancy. Scotland cut England up, and then Russell’s tip on was sublime.
Ritchies try = brilliancy. Steyn with the magic feet, Tuipulotu with a fantastic long range spiralling pass to Ritchie who benefited from his mates sucking in defenders on the right.
Arundell’s try = brilliancy. Ford’s little dummy and delayed pass was just sumptuous after sustained pressure from the big boys.
White’s try = idiocy. Genge will hope he never sees the replay of that howler ever again.
Mitchell really is kicking the leather off the ball.
Someone who watches him more than most has also picked up on this. Here’s James Prigmore:
As a Saints fan, I watch Mitchell a fair bit. I’ve seen him kick more in this game than I have this season for Saints. Does it ever really achieve anything? I’m told it does. At It’s best it seems to bring a scenario to 50/50. At its worst it ruins continuity. Frustrated Saints fan.
The thing is, England are not winning those 50/50s.
You see this a fair bit in rugby. Sometimes they act like grand armies of the Napoleonic era. Know what I mean? So much planning, so much homework, so much drill in the week, it’s like they stick to a set plan by the force of gravity.
Mixing a few metaphors there. Hope that landed.
I have no idea which way this is going to go.
I said that I couldn’t see Scotland winning. But shows what I know.
I’m cautious saying that I can’t see England coming back, but who honestly knows?
Here’s what Gursimran Grewal:
Still a lot of the match to play but looking like a long way back for England. Just cannot seem to stop making mistakes
And William Preston:
Scotland have come out with a single minded determination to get a proper stomp on and take this game in every area. It’s superb to watch.
Unless there’s some absolute thrilling heroics England are on for a total scrubbing here.
Now for some correspondence:
Joshua Keeling:
England have been a shambles so far. But like I said, Scotland are embarrassing – they only turn up against England.
Len Hampson:
I will never understand rugby union – the guy jumped into the player on the ground but the player on the ground got sent off. Strange rules.
Michael Wells:
As a biased Saints fan, Freeman is a good all round back, Arundell isn’t. That mistake may have cost England the game and a very fine run of wins. Great try scorer, but needs to expand his abilities does Arundell.
David Williams:
England once again showing zero fight in an away Calcutta Cup. Fair to say the only way this team wins anything is if they get a home World Cup.
ShareHalf-time: Scotland 24-10 England
I absolutely loved that! What a great half of Test rugby. Ding followed by dong. It was breathless. There was world class interplay and some brainless mistakes. Genge did whatever rugby’s equivalent of an own goal is. Arundell was sent off for copping two yellow cards. Russell was majestic. Steyn on the right wing was dazzling. Ford and Mitchell kicked balls into orbit. It’d a cliche, but that really had everything.
40 min: Ritchie is still down so it’s 14 on 14 for now. Ford chips for the onrushing Freeman who almost makes it stick. But he spills so Scotland counter. Jones finds Dobie in the left tram but his chip is charged by Steward so England have it back inside Scotland’s half.
39 min: Scotland win the line-out and kick high from White. Steward does well to gather a contestable under pressure. Ritchie is clutching his knee. That might be his race run. Mitchell dinks a box over the top that forces Russell to turn. He kicks to Steward who runs it back.
ShareRed card for Arundell! 38 min
England down to 14! For 20 minutes at least. Hero last week, villain this week. No doubt that was a second yellow card. He took Steyn out in the air and he’s paid for his recklessness.
37 min: England with another line-out around halfway. Scotland managing to keep them at arm’s length for a spell. Still, the men in white show continuity before Mitchell hoists a high kick. Arundell takes out Steyn in the air. Ooooh, he’s already been shown a yellow. Ref says just a penalty. That really could have been another yellow. In fact, they will take a look. Arundell could be in trouble here.
35 min: Scotland win the scrum and rather than simply hoof it long, they run it out. Maniacs. Steyn has it out wide on the right and wriggles up to the 22. Then they kick and find touch over halfway. That is an excellent exit.
33 min: Immense from Scotland! England looked to have cracked the maul, but the Scots rallied and reformed and managed to isolate Cowan-Dickie at the back of the morass and hold him up. Excellent maul defence and a lesson in not giving up after losing the initial hit. Still, they need to survive this scrum with their heels touching their own try line.
32 min: Another scrum penalty for England. Pressure on for the Scottish pack. They had the feed but must now defend a line-out seven metres from their own line. England have to score here.
31 min: This game is being played at a million miles an hour. Every time I start to describe an event possession changes. Some kick tennis has Roebuck on the ball inside Scotland’s 22 but there was a knock-on just before so we’ll have a Scottish scrum. And a chance to take stock. What a remarkable contest this has been. Perhaps the one solace for England is that they’re starting to win the kick battle. If they stick with that and avoid the equivalent of own goals, they could yet rescue this.
ShareTRY! Scotland 24-10 England (White, 27)
Calamity from Genge! Oh my goodness, that’s a howler from the Baby Rhino. A kick ahead, after a dazzling Steyn run and some fabulous interplay from, Russell, just needed mopping up from the covering Genge who ran back to gather. Except he spilled it, under almost no pressure, and White was there to score the easiest Test try of his career.
Russell then lands a tricky conversion.
What a horrible moment for Genge.
Ben White of Scotland pounces on a loose ball to score the third try. Photograph: Stu Forster/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 12.26 EST
Penalty! Scotland 17-10 England (Ford, 26)
After shipping 17 points, England have now responded with 10 on the bounce. Game on!
25 min: Chessum plucks an intercept around halfway but Scotland rally and have the ball back. Until the kick it down field and Ford has it. Then Mitchell almost sniping through a half gap. Another penalty, this one against Ritchie, against Scotland for straying offside. Itoje consults the referee but he’s not having it. After a consultation with Ford, the England captain points to the posts. Should be a gimme for Ford right in front on the 22.
24 min: Swing Low rings out as England gather the restart. Mitchell hoists a high box and finds good touch around halfway. That gives us a chance to catch our breath. File the opening quarter of this one under H for humdinger.
ShareTRY! Scotland 17-7 Scotland (Arundell, 22)
It’s raining tries! Off the line-out it felt inevitable. England kept hammering the line and hammering the line and hammering the line. Scottish defenders were sucked in and then a slick dummy and pass from Ford made the space for Arundell to his right. An easy conversion makes it a 10 point game.
Henry Arundell of England breaks clear to score. Photograph: David Rogers/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 12.06 EST
20 min: England win the scrum penalty! They kick to the corner and will set a line-out five out.
19 min: England again have the ball after a scrappy line-out. They’re into the 22. All a bit one-up runners. Nothing too slick yet but they are keeping the ball. Seven phases. Ford spills it but backwards so they come agaib. Seven phases. Jones steps forward and makes a hit, holding the ball carrier up and winning the turnover. Scotland will have the scrum feed as Arundell rejoins the party with drinks all over the floor and the DJ playing howlers (does that party metaphor land?)
17 min: England have a line-out inside their own patch but it’s messy. They have it, but it didn’t work, whatever they were planning. So Mitchell hoists a high kick. Jones comes to get it but he’s helped by a teammate who obstructed the English chaser. So penalty for England.
ShareTRY! Scotland 17-0 England (Ritchie, 14)
WHAT A START FOR SCOTLAND! Unreal scenes. They move the ball so quickly from the line-out. Russell straightens and then finds Dobie on the wraparound who then hits Steyn with a long floating pass on the right wing. He cuts back infield and they recycle the ball. Tuipulotu has it and luanches a long ball for Ritchie who is all alone on the left. He catches and walks over for a stunner. Russell nudges the extras and, oh my goodness, it’s 17-0!
Jamie Ritchie of Scotland runs in the second try. Photograph: Stu Forster/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 12.27 EST
13 min: Another spiralling high kick forces a mistake and Scotland have the scrum feed. In fact, they get the penalty as Cowan-Dickie is nailed by the TMO for tackling a Scot without the use of his arms. Easy exit from their 22 for Scotland as Russell finds touch down town.
ShareTRY! Scotland 10-0 England (Jones, 10)
Outstanding from Russell! Form really goes out the window when Scotland play England. This is brilliant all round. Ball was clean from the line-out but the move crabbed from right to left. Nothing was happening until Russell tipped on a pass, as if he was swatting away a fly, and managed to get it to Jones who gathered and pinned his ears down as he found the edge and scored. Russell then slots the extras. The breakdown speed, the continuity, its all Scotland right now.
Scotland’s Huw Jones (right) celebrates scoring a try with Jamie Dobie. Photograph: Jane Barlow/PAShare
Updated at 12.02 EST
Yellow card, England! Arundell, 9
The winger doesn’t release the tackler as Scotland were cantering up field and looking dangerous. So he’ll have 10 minutes to contemplate his wicked ways as Scotland build from the line-out.
7 min: A bit of kick tennis until Russell gathers, runs, dummies the chaser and tees up a mate on his outside. Then Scotland kick again and win the ball back. There’s going to be a lot of looking up for both players this afternoon. Steyn has. He finds Jones. Scotland flooding forward. Brilliant. They now have a penalty and there’s a yellow card against Arundell! All Scotland as they ponder what to do inside England’s 22. Russell nudges to the corner.
6 min: England knock on as Arundell’s chase from the restart is spilled forward. Scotland’s scrum creaked against Italy’s. Will England target a penalty? They do, but Scotland get away with it as England went a little early. Free kick to the Scots.
SharePenalty! Scotland 3-0 England (Russell, 5)
Scotland on the board. Slick and quick from the hosts. They take a deserving lead with Russell’s swinging right boot.
4 min: Quick ball from Scotland thanks to Tuipulotu running at Ford. White has it fizzing. Ritchie with a stiff carry against the grain. Darge with it inside the 22. Advantage for Scotland. Dempsey wriggles from Chessum. Zander Fagerson burrows. Russell tries to unleash a mate out to the right but they’re going backwards so we come back for the penalty. Three points on offer which Russell accepts, bang in front of the sticks.
2 min: England get a meaty rumble on from the line-out and hoist a high kick off the back of it. Tuipulotu returns the kick and chases after it, putting England under pressure. Nice swift start from both teams. Scotland have the line-out on England’s 22 as Mitchell’s clearing kick was skewed off the boot.
George Ford gets us underway!
If we could distill the feeling when the music cuts out in Flower of Scotland, and the fans take over, we’d be millionaires.
Hook that right into my vein and call me in a week!
Loads made about Scotland’s team. A 5-3 bench split. No Duhan ven der Merwe. No Blair Kinghorn.
Once again, all eyes on Finn Russell’s magic hands and feet.
The players are out. Murrayfield looks delicious! If you’re reading this and you’ve not seen a Test at this famous ground, if you’ve not hear Flower of Scotland belted out to the shrill blast of bagpipes, you have yo make a plan. It’s one of the special grounds in rugby.
Moving beyond the boundary, but let’s tip a cap to England’s impressive skipper.
Maro Itoje speaks the truth here and has my respect:
Our regular contributor Guy Hornsby has been in touch:
Afternoon Daniel. A cracker in Dublin and now it’s Murrayfield, where I can’t see England getting done, BUT 10% of me is waiting to get an almighty slap of hubris in my face. Scotland have been much less than the sum of their parts and England are as cohesive as they’ve been in a decade. But if Scotland are up for any game, it’s this one. It’s a proper Test, and nothing would signal the burgeoning strength of this England team then a no bother win. The bench will be crucial but George Ford is the key to all of it. Bring it on!
I’ve consulted the Opta supercomputer and it’s not looking good for the hosts.
The big numbers have been crunched and they point to a 31-16 win for England who have a 74.1% chance of leaving Edinburgh with a victory on the occasion of Gregor Townsend’s 100th game in charge of Scotland.
England have already beaten Scotland once today.
Though even that was closer than many might have predicted.
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Daniel Gallan
Everything points to an English victory. Form, logic, reason, the laws of nature.
But none of that counts in this, does it? This is Scotland. This is Murrayfield. This is the land of bagpipes and tartan and haggis and all the other cliches that swirl around the discourse whenever the aul enemy have the temerity to roll up north and expect a triumph.
I’ll be honest. I can’t see Scotland winning this. But then how many times have we said that before?
Italy just gave Ireland a proper shock. Could Scotland flip the script and rally like those woad-painted warriors of old?
We’ll find out soon.
ShareThe teams
Scotland: Jordan, Steyn, Jones, Tuipulotu (c), Dobie, Russell, White; McBeth, Turner, Z Fagerson, Brown, Cummings, Ritchie, Darge, Dempsey.
Replacements: Cherry, Schoeman, Millar-Mills, Williamson, M Fagerson, Horne, Hastings, Graham.
England: Steward, Roebuck, Freeman, Dingwall, Arundell, Ford, Mitchell; Genge, Cowan-Dickie, Heyes, Itoje (c), Chessum, Pepper, Underhill, Earl.
Replacements: George, Rodd, Davison, Coles, T Curry, Pollock, Spencer, F Smith.
SharePreamble
Daniel will be here shortly. Until then, we’ve got plenty of preview material to pass the time before kick-off in this Calcutta Cup showdown.