England's impressive 12-game winning streak came to a shuddering halt as Scotland delivered a commanding 31-20 victory in the Calcutta Cup clash at Murrayfield. This dramatic Six Nations encounter saw the Scots secure their biggest win over England since 2018, dealing a significant blow to Steve Borthwick's side's championship aspirations.
Scotland's Dominant Start
The home side began with remarkable intensity, establishing early control that England struggled to counter. Finn Russell opened the scoring with a penalty in just the fourth minute, setting the tone for what would become a memorable afternoon for Scottish rugby.
Early Advantage Through Discipline
Scotland gained a crucial numerical advantage when England wing Henry Arundell received his first yellow card in the eighth minute for failing to release after a tackle. The Scots capitalized immediately, with Russell executing a brilliant one-handed pass to Huw Jones, who scored their opening try in the 10th minute.
Jamie Ritchie added another try just four minutes later, with Russell converting both to give Scotland a commanding 17-0 lead after just fifteen minutes. This stood in stark contrast to their previous match against Italy, where they had found themselves 12-0 down at the same stage.
England's Brief Resurgence
After returning from the sin-bin, Arundell provided England's first breakthrough in the 21st minute, finishing off a perfectly-delayed pass from George Ford near the posts. Ford converted and added a penalty five minutes later, reducing the deficit to just seven points and testing Scotland's resilience.
Scotland Regains Control
Unlike their collapse against Argentina in November, Scotland responded emphatically. In the 27th minute, Ben White pounced on a loose ball after Ellis Genge failed to deal with Russell's clever chip, scoring Scotland's third try. Russell's conversion extended their lead to 24-10.
The situation worsened for England just before halftime when Arundell received a second yellow card for taking out Kyle Steyn without attempting to challenge for a high ball. This equated to a 20-minute red card, leaving England with fourteen men during a critical period.
Second Half Seals Scottish Victory
Ford managed another penalty early in the second half, but Scotland responded decisively in the 53rd minute. Substitute Matt Fagerson charged down a Ford drop-goal attempt and fed Jones, who raced clear for his second try of the match. Russell's conversion made it 31-13.
England managed a late consolation through Ben Earl's try, converted by Ford, but it couldn't prevent Scotland's comprehensive victory. The win marked their seventh Calcutta Cup triumph in nine years and breathed new life into their Six Nations campaign after their disappointing opening defeat to Italy.
Significance for Both Sides
For Scotland, this victory provided crucial relief for head coach Gregor Townsend, who had faced mounting pressure following the Italy defeat. The performance showcased their attacking prowess and defensive resilience against one of the tournament favorites.
For England, the defeat represents a significant setback in their quest for a first Six Nations title since 2020. The disciplinary issues, particularly Arundell's two yellow cards, proved costly against a Scottish side that executed their game plan with precision and passion throughout the eighty minutes.
