Rivalry renewed
After almost a decade of English dominance, the oldest rivalry in worldwide rugby has been tipped on its head since Scotland triumphed at Murrayfield in 2018.
The Scots have received three of their 5 conferences since and likewise engineered a surprising 38-38 attract London 4 years in the past, throughout which they fought again from a 31-0 deficit.
To name it a banana pores and skin fixture for England is to downplay the expertise in Scotland’s aspect and having stormed Twickenham for the primary time since 1983 of their most up-to-date go to, there will probably be no scarcity of self-belief.
Recent begin
Borthwick has reduce a statesmanlike determine since changing Eddie Jones final month and following a 2022 of dismal underachievement, followers are longing for the brand new head coach to raise the gloom hanging over English rugby.
The previous Leicester boss has been given a hospital cross by Jones, inheriting a muddled group of gamers searching for an id.
In a welcome departure from his predecessor, there was no point out of this autumn’s World Cup with Borthwick selecting kind gamers who’ve been given clear directions within the hope of wrestling again the Calcutta Cup.
Life past Manu
For the earlier two teaching regimes, Manu Tuilagi has been central to the sport plan with solely his prolonged succession of accidents leading to omission from the group.
Seeing a participant who will not be working as his explosive greatest, Borthwick has taken the courageous determination to go away him out of the 23 altogether by selecting a centre partnership of Owen Farrell and Joe Marchant.
What the midfield loses in punch, it positive aspects in dynamism. One reference to the Jones period stays, nevertheless, with Marcus Smith and Farrell persevering with within the contentious playmaking axis that has but to persuade.
Attacking choices
Scotland could also be lacking 5 members of the Lions squad that toured South Africa in 2023 in Ali Value, Chris Harris, Zander Fagerson, Rory Sutherland and Hamish Watson – the primary two unnoticed on kind, the others on damage grounds – however they subject a aspect bristling with attacking promise.
Ben White’s inclusion forward of Value at scrum-half rewards his kind for London Irish and he’ll convey tempo, whereas Huw Jones is a better offensive menace than Harris at outdoors centre, however it’s swashbuckling stalwarts Finn Russell and Stuart Hogg who will actually put England on edge.
