England Rugby Team Looks to Calcutta Cup Victory for Murrayfield Inspiration
England flanker Ben Earl has disclosed that Steve Borthwick's squad is actively revisiting their pivotal Calcutta Cup triumph from last year as they prepare to confront a challenging historical statistic against Scotland. The national team, currently enjoying an impressive 12-Test winning streak, aims to secure their first victory at Murrayfield since the year 2020 during this Saturday's highly anticipated Guinness Six Nations encounter.
Learning from Past Struggles and Tactical Setbacks
Scotland has maintained a dominant position in this historic rivalry over the past eight years, securing five victories and one draw. It was only in 2025 that England managed to reclaim the Calcutta Cup after it had resided in Edinburgh since 2021. Earl described the narrow 16-15 win at Allianz Stadium as a fundamental turning point that ignited their current successful run.
"Funnily enough, we've watched it back a couple of times over the last couple of weeks for a number of different reasons, seeing how far we've come as a team but also what being outsmarted tactically can look like," Earl explained. "That game was the epitome of winning ugly. Scotland for the most part tactically outplayed us. A lot of the boys have said they've learned a huge amount from that fixture and have kicked on from there."
The Saracens number eight elaborated on the specific lessons learned, noting that England felt dragged into an arm wrestle they were ill-equipped to escape, particularly around the ruck area, kicking game, and territory battles. "But we feel like we've now got the tools to deal with a number of different things," he asserted. "We've had a couple of ugly wins along the way since then, but we feel like we're finding ways to win games of rugby. We feel well equipped to handle any kind of different game. We're in a good place tactically."
Scotland's Response to Recent Defeat Adds Extra Edge
Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend has labeled Saturday's showdown as his side's "biggest game of the season," not only due to the historic opposition but also following their surprising defeat by Italy just one week ago. Earl believes this recent setback makes Scotland an even more formidable and dangerous opponent.
"We know that this game has got something special about it," Earl stated. "I can't imagine there's going to be a lack of hunger from either side, so hopefully it's a great spectacle for everyone. I can't speak on their behalf, but I know what a wounded animal can look like – it wasn't too long ago that we were losing games and trying to bounce back."
Reflecting on their previous visit to Murrayfield two years ago, Earl acknowledged the hostile environment and the valuable insights gained. "The last time we were here two years ago, we learnt a lot about ourselves, we learnt a lot about Scotland and what a hostile environment Murrayfield can be for us. It's another challenge where we're going to be tested, questions are going to be asked of us and we're going to have to find ways to work our way out of it. It's massive for us."
As both teams finalize their preparations, the stage is set for a compelling Six Nations battle where England's tactical evolution and Scotland's wounded pride promise to deliver a memorable spectacle at Murrayfield.
