Scotland 31-20 England
Sport is an unpredictable beast. If you are the favorite, you need to deliver to your performance level. This though sometimes does not happen. Your opponent having the point to prove. Murrayfield home faithful enjoyed the home team performance.
Scotland were in backs against the wall mode after last weekend’s opening round loss to Italy. The lack of physicality and cohesion raised questions about the players. More significantly, it raised questions about Gregor Townsend’s tenure of the side.
There was an edge to Scotland from minute one. Their ability will ball in hand to find space on the flanks to the fore. Kyle Steyn with an eye catching performance. England asked questions, no answers provided. Steve Borthwick will have plenty to ponder.
Scotland putting England under the defensive ringer. The officiating crew quick to ping England for breakdown infringements. Finn Russell slotting home a routine penalty. 3-0 Scotland.
England on the right wing were under pressure from minute one. Arundell is a talented player but Scotland targeted him defensively and dominated. The back three player sin binned for not releasing, panic had set in.
The hosts did not need to be asked to plunder with the player advantage. The setup from Scotland on the Jones try was superb. Russell orchestrating. The ability to create space out wide. Russell’s instinctive pass sensational. 10-0. The home crowd in raptures.
Scotland continued to lay on the early pressure. Ritchie was the next to cross over. Dobie and Steyn with some impressive ball carries. Tuipulotu’s composure to find Ritchie out wide noted as the back rower touched down. Russell converted brilliantly.
England down by seventeen points but they looked to continue to execute their game plan. Ford with a double pump pivotal to Arundell’s try. 17-7. A breathless opening quarter.
Just when England were asserting dominance, Scotland pounced for a third try. England must ask the question why Genge was the covering defender. The ball took a horrible bounce. White with the touchdown. Russell again oozing class in the setup of the try.
Arundell scored his try. He must have felt that he would grow into the contest. However, with two minutes left in the half, he received his second yellow card. An ill fated attempt to contest an aerial bomb.
The winger gets his timing completely wrong. Steyn was taken out in the air. The TMO summoned the match officials, who had no choice but to brandish the second yellow. Arundell will have better days.
England’s positive from today was their set piece. The scrum was superior and on another day, Scotland would have been sanctioned more severely. Officiating crew lenient on Scotland’s scrimmaging issues. Ireland have been duly warned on England’s set piece.
Despite playing with a numerical advantage, Scotland were in defensive mode. England were asking the questions but their attacking were one out runners. Scotland tackling comfortably and England forced to go for a dropped goal.
Ford’s dropped goal blocked. Scotland composure with ball in hand seen with this score. There was no panic and the pass to Jones was on the money. The center had a sensational outing, crossed over under the posts. Bonus try point secured. Game over.
England continued to their credit to look for a way back into this test match. Field position secured with Pollock. Earl crossed over. England threw off the shackles and looked to create space out wide. More of this moving onward please.
Scotland though finished the game on the ascendancy. On another day, there should have been a fifth try. England’s good resolute defensive sets under their posts prevented further damage.
How do Scotland bottle this dog and performance level moving ahead? Media barbs on their performance can’t be the reason for this cameo. Townsend needs to figure out how to guarantee his side play on the front foot from minute one. There was pressure to deliver. Mission accomplished.
England will sit and consider this loss. It has been an encouraging last eighteen months but this performance lacked precision and leadership in key moments. The defensive vulnerabilities on the England flanks will be video analysis focal points ahead of Ireland.
England are in Scotland’s shoes heading into Twickenham. There is nothing quite a team who have a point to prove. Ireland have been duly warned. The third round of this tournament will answer plenty on team’s genuine chances for Rugby World Cup 2027.