Scotland on the board. Slick and quick from the hosts. They take a deserving lead with Russell\u2019s swinging right boot.<\/p>\n
Share<\/a><\/p>\n 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\u2019re going backwards so we come back for the penalty. Three points on offer which Russell accepts, bang in front of the sticks.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 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\u2019s 22 as Mitchell\u2019s clearing kick was skewed off the boot.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n George Ford gets us underway! <\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n If we could distill the feeling when the music cuts out in Flower of Scotland, and the fans take over, we\u2019d be millionaires.<\/p>\n Hook that right into my vein and call me in a week!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Loads made about Scotland\u2019s team. A 5-3 bench split. No Duhan ven der Merwe. No Blair Kinghorn.<\/p>\n Once again, all eyes on Finn Russell\u2019s magic hands and feet.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n The players are out. Murrayfield looks delicious! If you\u2019re reading this and you\u2019ve not seen a Test at this famous ground, if you\u2019ve not hear Flower of Scotland belted out to the shrill blast of bagpipes, you have yo make a plan. It\u2019s one of the special grounds in rugby. <\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Moving beyond the boundary, but let\u2019s tip a cap to England\u2019s impressive skipper.<\/p>\n Maro Itoje speaks the truth here and has my respect:<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Our regular contributor Guy Hornsby has been in touch:<\/p>\n Afternoon Daniel. A cracker in Dublin and now it\u2019s Murrayfield, where I can\u2019t 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\u2019ve been in a decade. But if Scotland are up for any game, it\u2019s this one. It\u2019s 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!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n I\u2019ve consulted the Opta supercomputer and it\u2019s not looking good for the hosts.<\/p>\n 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\u2019s 100th game in charge of Scotland.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n England have already beaten Scotland once today.<\/p>\n Though even that was closer than many might have predicted.<\/p>\n Share<\/a> Everything points to an English victory. Form, logic, reason, the laws of nature.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n I\u2019ll be honest. I can\u2019t see Scotland winning this. But then how many times have we said that before?<\/p>\n Italy just gave Ireland a proper shock. Could Scotland flip the script and rally like those woad-painted warriors of old?<\/p>\n We\u2019ll find out soon.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>The teams<\/p>\n Scotland: Jordan, Steyn, Jones, Tuipulotu (c), Dobie, Russell, White; McBeth, Turner, Z Fagerson, Brown, Cummings, Ritchie, Darge, Dempsey. England: Steward, Roebuck, Freeman, Dingwall, Arundell, Ford, Mitchell; Genge, Cowan-Dickie, Heyes, Itoje (c), Chessum, Pepper, Underhill, Earl.![\"Daniel](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1771087809_806_Daniel_Gallan.png\")
Daniel Gallan<\/p>\n
Replacements: Cherry, Schoeman, Millar-Mills, Williamson, M Fagerson, Horne, Hastings, Graham.<\/p>\n
Replacements: George, Rodd, Davison, Coles, T Curry, Pollock, Spencer, F Smith.<\/p>\n