Scotland vs England Six Nations Clash: TV Channel, Kick-off Time and Team News
The historic Auld Enemies rivalry reignites this weekend as Scotland and England prepare for a pivotal Calcutta Cup showdown in the Six Nations championship. The match takes place at Murrayfield in Edinburgh, a venue that has recently been a source of frustration for the English side. This encounter carries significant weight for both teams following contrasting starts to their campaigns.
Kick-off Time and Broadcasting Details
The highly anticipated Calcutta Cup fixture is scheduled to commence at 4.40pm GMT on Saturday, 14th February 2026. For viewers in the United Kingdom, comprehensive live coverage will be provided by ITV1, with their broadcast beginning at 4.10pm GMT. Additionally, a live stream of the match will be accessible through the ITVX platform, ensuring fans can follow the action across multiple devices.
Team News and Selection Headaches
Scotland's head coach Gregor Townsend has responded to his team's disappointing opening loss to Italy by making four strategic changes to his forward pack. In a surprising move, Nathan McBeth earns a starting role at loosehead prop, while Pierre Schoeman drops to the bench. The absence of Ewan Ashman due to a neck injury means there are no Edinburgh players in the starting fifteen.
However, there is a boost for the Scots as former captain Jamie Ritchie returns to the blindside flank. The back three remains unchanged, with Duhan van der Merwe and Blair Kinghorn once again omitted from the matchday squad.
England's head coach Steve Borthwick has opted for continuity, naming a largely settled side following their twelfth consecutive victory. Captain Maro Itoje reclaims his position in the second row, displacing Alex Coles. There is a rotational switch at hooker, with Jamie George and Luke Cowan-Dickie exchanging starting and bench duties.
Among the replacements, the fit-again Fin Smith provides valuable cover at fly-half and centre, as Borthwick once again selects six forwards on the bench to impact the game in the latter stages.
Confirmed Starting Line-ups
Scotland XV: 1 Nathan McBeth, 2 Dave Cherry, 3 Zander Fagerson; 4 Gregor Brown, 5 Scott Cummings; 6 Jamie Ritchie, 7 Rory Darge, 8 Jack Dempsey; 9 Ben White, 10 Finn Russell; 11 Jamie Dobie, 12 Sione Tuipulotu (capt.), 13 Huw Jones, 14 Kyle Steyn; 15 Tom Jordan.
Replacements: 16 Dave Cherry, 17 Pierre Schoeman, 18 Elliot Millar Mills, 19 Max Williamson, 20 Matt Fagerson; 21 George Horne, 22 Adam Hastings, 23 Darcy Graham.
England XV: 1 Ellis Genge, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3 Joe Heyes; 4 Maro Itoje (capt.), 5 Ollie Chessum; 6 Guy Pepper, 7 Sam Underhill, 8 Ben Earl; 9 Alex Mitchell, 10 George Ford; 11 Henry Arundell, 12 Fraser Dingwall, 13 Tommy Freeman, 14 Tom Roebuck; 15 Freddie Steward.
Replacements: 16 Jamie George, 17 Bevan Rodd, 18 Trevor Davison, 19 Alex Coles, 20 Tom Curry, 21 Henry Pollock; 22 Ben Spencer, 23 Fin Smith.
Context and Stakes
This Calcutta Cup clash arrives at a critical juncture for both nations. Scotland's defeat in Rome has intensified scrutiny on Gregor Townsend, placing immense pressure on his squad to deliver a positive result against their oldest rivals. Despite this, Scotland boast a strong recent record in this fixture, though they narrowly lost last year's encounter at Twickenham after Finn Russell missed a late kick.
Conversely, England's title aspirations could face a significant setback at Murrayfield, a ground that has yielded few happy memories for them in recent times. The match promises to be a fiercely contested battle, with pride, points, and psychological advantage all on the line in this storied Six Nations rivalry.
