Scotland Stun England as Calcutta Cup Horror Show Halts Winning Streak
Scotland 31-20 England: England's impressive 12-match unbeaten run came to a shuddering halt in spectacular fashion at Murrayfield on Saturday 14 February 2026. The hosts delivered a performance that few anticipated, dismantling their rivals in a match that will be remembered as another dark chapter in England's recent history at the Edinburgh venue.
Form Books Tossed Out the Window
What is it about this fixture that consistently defies expectations? After a disappointing defeat to Italy, Gregor Townsend's Scotland side had appeared listless and lacking direction. Yet they found remarkable restorative power in the Calcutta Cup, producing a performance that no one saw coming. This Murrayfield horror show adds to England's haunting recent history at the ground, with the visitors arriving buoyed by 12 consecutive victories only to be sent home to reconsider their approach.
While this defeat may not be terminal to England's Six Nations ambitions, their prospects of a grand slam charge evaporated swiftly into the crisp Edinburgh skies. Steve Borthwick, England's pragmatic coach, watched with furrowed brow as his team unraveled. Only the visitors' scrum emerged with any credit from what became a comprehensive Scottish demolition job.
English Errors Pile Up Early
English mistakes arrived early and often, providing the rhythm to which Scotland danced. Henry Arundell received two yellow cards that combined to become a red - one cynical, one clumsy. Ellis Genge's handling error gifted Scotland a try, while George Ford's blocked drop goal attempt resulted in a ten-point swing as Matt Fagerson charged it down and sent Huw Jones racing away for a score.
Everything that could go wrong for England essentially did, perhaps fittingly following Friday the 13th. On the eve of the match, Scottish captain Sione Tuipulotu had spoken of a "desperation" within the Scottish ranks to make amends for their Roman missteps. This manifested magnificently in a 15-minute opening salvo as impressive as any Scotland have produced in recent memory.
Scotland's Dominant Start
The warning shots were fired almost immediately, with the first contestable kick tapped back into Scottish hands. Only a scrambling Alex Mitchell prevented an early score. Two more breaks soon followed, resulting in a Finn Russell penalty to open the scoring and Arundell's first yellow card for a ruck infringement.
Then came more telling blows. Huw Jones, who has tormented England in Calcutta Cup clashes over the past decade, added a magnificent seventh try in this fixture courtesy of Russell's volleyball-style tap on. Five minutes later, captains present and past combined effectively as Tuipulotu arced a pass virtually across the Firth of Forth to find Jamie Ritchie unmarked on the left edge.
England Shellshocked and Struggling
England, who had spoken all week about avoiding the thunderbolts that have struck them here previously, looked completely shellshocked. Only their scrum provided any foothold, allowing Arundell - returning from his sin-bin stint - to finish a neat George Ford dummy move under the posts. This proved England's sole bright moment as the evening gloom descended upon the visitors.
Genge's clumsy sliding fumble gifted Ben White a try following a Russell chip, adding to England's growing catalogue of Murrayfield errors that now approaches encyclopedic proportions. More material arrived when an out-of-control Arundell collided with Kyle Steyn in the air, converting two yellows to red and turning bad to worse for England.
Defensive Woes and Forced Changes
If England were seeing ghosts, they failed to grasp them. The visitors had already missed 20 tackles before halftime. Even the reliable George Ford faltered, with his attempted drop goal instead extending Scotland's lead. England's power-packed bench, which had swung many tight contests during their winning run, faced a different challenge here.
Their arrival came from necessity rather than strategy: Sam Underhill and Maro Itoje both trudged off early, while Fin Smith was forced into an unfamiliar inside centre role to accommodate Arundell's absence. The subsequent shuffling, with Fraser Dingwall and Tommy Freeman also playing alternative positions, reflected minds muddled by Murrayfield's strange brew.
Scottish Revival and Renewed Optimism
Throughout this display, the home fans rediscovered their voices. Even Townsend's most loyal supporters had questioned whether this era had run its course after events in Rome, but this performance surely stirred Scottish souls. Some critics might wonder why such blue-moon performances seem reserved for Calcutta Cup days, but for now, despite a late Ben Earl consolation try, Scottish supporters could guzzle on renewed optimism long into the Edinburgh night.
