Alarmingly basic errors cost England dearly in Scotland defeat

A Calcutta Cup contest that will be forever etched in history. You have to go back to 1896, for the last time Scotland secured four successive victories against England in the championship and Duhan van der Merwe was their history boy, becoming the first Scotland player to score a hat-trick of tries against the auld enemy and delivering the kind of X-factor display that this current English squad simply can’t match.

More importantly for Gregor Townsend’s side, this compelling win thrusts them back into the Six Nations title race. With a trip to Italy up next, a potential winner-takes-all showdown awaits with Ireland in Dublin on the final weekend. But where now for England? With too many handling errors, despite the dry conditions, indiscipline at the breakdown and malfunctions both in attack and defence, the progress of the opening two victories stalled and alarmingly so.

This was the moment for Borthwick’s side to kick on, to demonstrate the progress made behind the scenes. Yet aside from a high-octane opening including a try by George Furbank as early as the seventh minute, the game slipped away from them.

The manner of defeat will come as a dose of sobering reality for England supporters and a reassessment of where the rebuilding phase really stands.

Ireland, chasing a second Grand Slam, are the next visitors to Twickenham on March 9, and with a final round trip to face France in Lyon, the prospect of a fourth successive season yielding just two championship victories, is casting a dark shadow.

For the third game in succession, England trailed at the break, and while the first two Van der Merwe’s tries were finished with a flourish, they also shone a light on England’s fragilities. Scotland did not have to work for their lead, but once they had their noses in front, they had the experience and fluidity to surge clear.

The sight of Ollie Lawrence passing the ball in touch in the final stages of a failing bid to claw back a nine-point deficit, typified England’s frustration. In the first two rounds, against Italy and Wales, England had found a win to win, yet in the cacophony of Murrayfield, there were no real-time solutions this time. Worryingly England seemed to run out of ideas the longer the contest went on.

By the end, apart from an impressive cameo by Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, who brought an attacking edge to the backline that was reminiscent of Jason Robinson’s dancing feet, it proved to be a humbling experience for England. His late try from a blind-side attack briefly gave his side hope of an unlikely comeback, but there was neither the urgency or precision in England’s attacking ambition to threaten Scotland.

Borthwick’s decision to make five changes now looks questionable, given the lack of game time the half-backs and midfield have had together.

In contrast Ben White, Finn Russell, Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones proved much more effective, so too Cameron Redpath from the bench while Blair Kinghorn at full-back delivered the kind of potency that England had sought with the surprise selection of Furbank, who endured a mixed display, with moments of brilliance undone by too many errors.

The frustration for Borthwick is that his side flattered only to deceive. Their start was near-perfect. Furbank glided over for a try after just six minutes from a brilliantly executed move from a scrum. And it was George Ford, not Russell who took early control of the contest. It was his delayed pass to Elliot Daly that put the England wing through the hole in the build-up to Furbank’s score and he then landed another penalty to put England 10-0 in front.

Yet Scotland’s response was exhilarating, spearheaded by Van der Merwe, who underscored his reputation as the championship’s most deadly finisher, scoring his first try from a well-crafted move that exploited a faultline in England’s new defence, a mix-up between Ollie Lawrence and Henry Slade allowed Jones to break clear. His second try was a stunning solo effort, reminiscent of his score at Twickenham last year, as he ran the length of England’s half, taking advantage of a dropped ball by Furbank.

A dropped goal by Ford cancelled out a Russell penalty but Scotland were worthy of their four-point lead at the break. It felt critical that England scored next to keep themselves in the game, but within five minutes of the restart, Van der Merwe had crossed for his third, gathering a brilliant cross-kick by Russell.

England regrouped, and after George Martin made his presence felt with some strong carries, Ford kicked his second penalty. But their momentum never gathered. Russell put his side 14 points clear with two more penalties. When Fin Smith, on for Ford, failed to convert Feyi-Waboso’s try, England remained two scores adrift. They never came close as Scotland were able to control the contest at an arm’s length, with the game petering out like a warm-up act for one hell of an Edinburgh party.

For Townsend, the disappointment of the last-gasp defeat by France, is now long forgotten. This victory will fire them with the belief that Scotland can push on for the title.

“Now we can look to the next two games and see how we can improve,” said Towsend. “To show that resilience to come back and then score 30 points shows what this team is capable of. There is improvement to do and we want to get to the final week with an opportunity to still be in the championship.”

A day of reckoning for England has been less kind. The visit of Ireland will leave no wriggle room. They know they must improve, and quickly, or else another championship of mediocrity awaits.

Match details

Scotland: 15. Kinghorn, 14. Steyn, 13. Jones, 12. Tuipulotu, 11. Van der Merwe, 10. Russell, 9. White; 1. Schoeman, 2. Turner, 3. Fagerson, 4. Gilchrist, 5. Cummings, 6. Ritchie, 7. Darge, 8. Dempsey.
Replacements: 16. Ashman, 17. Hepburn, 18. Millar-Mills, 19. Skinner, 20. Christie, 21. Horne, 22. Healy, 23. Redpath.
England: 15. Furbank, 14. Freeman, 13. Slade, 12. Lawrence, 11. Daly; 10. Ford, 9. Care; 1. Genge, 2. George (capt), 3. Cole, 4. Itoje, 5. Chessum, 6. Roots, 7. Underhill, 8. Earl.
Replacements: 16. Dan, 17. Marler, 18. Stuart, 19. Martin, 20. Cunningham-South, 21. Spencer, 22. Smith, 23. Feyi-Waboso
Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland).

Scoring sequence: 0-5 Furbank try, 0-7 Ford con, 0-10 Ford pen, 5-10 Van der Merwe try, 7-10 Russell con, 12-10 Van der Merwe try, 14-10 Russell con, 17-10 Russell pen, 17-13 Ford drop goal, 22-13 Van der Merwe try, 24-13 Russell con, 24-16 Ford pen, 27-16 Russell pen, 30-16 Russell pen, 30-21 Feyi-Waboso try.

Scotland v England: As it happened . . .

07:18 PM GMT

Finn Russell: 'We won't get ahead of ourselves'

07:10 PM GMT

Check out our player ratings

Duhan van der Merwe stars as Ollie Lawrence struggles

07:09 PM GMT

Gregor Townsend praises resilient Scotland

He tells the BBC:

On Duhan van der Merwe:

On claiming a fourth Calcutta Cup triumph

06:57 PM GMT

Borthwick bemoans handling errors

The England head coach tells the BBC:

On trailing at half-time

06:51 PM GMT

Sage full-time insights

06:49 PM GMT

Brian has his say

06:48 PM GMT

History boys

06:46 PM GMT

Jamie George speaks

06:43 PM GMT

Duhan van der Merwe reacts

Scotland’s hat-trick hero tells the BBC:

On his third try:

On Scotland achieving a fourth consecutive Calcutta Cup victory for the first time since 1896:

06:36 PM GMT

Full time: Scotland 30 - 21 England

The last few exchanges are a bit scrappy. Ashman holds up Ben Earl in the tackle and wins Scotland another scrum, which will; surely eat up the last few seconds on the clock. And that’s it! Scotland recycle from the set piece quickly, feed it to Finn Russell, who has the last laugh as he hoists the ball up high into the Edinburgh night.

06:32 PM GMT

78 mins Scotland 30 - 21 England

Van der Merwe is, obviously, named player of the match.. as he gets sent to the bin! He dumps Tommy Freeeman on his back - he’s definitely through the horizontal - and the TMO intervenes. He’ll be dissapointed with that but he won’t lose any sleep over it given his day’s work. The bunker says it will remain a yellow.

06:29 PM GMT

75 mins Scotland 30 - 21 England

Will Stuart is penalised for head-on-head before the scrum is engaged and Scotland have another penalty. Blair Kinghorn climbs into the sky to collect a high ball and Fin Smith knocks it on. Russell takes advantage but boots it straight to Feyi-Waboso, who backtracks brilliantly to gather safely. Scotland are caught out offside and this time England have a pen. Smith boots downfield and Chessum takes the lineout cleanly.. they look like they’re onto something but Lawrence, whop has had a mixed night, lobs a wayward pass outside his man and all that good work comes to nothing

06:24 PM GMT

72 mins Scotland 30 - 21 England

Dempsey wins a crucial turnover just as England threaten to keep turning the screw. Raucous cheers erupt from, the Scottish pack and Russell comes up with another exit kick. Scotland have made 126 tackles to England’s 91, which tells you everything about Scotland’s work rate and nothing about how loose and scrappy this contest has been. There’s a pause in play, as Scotland gear up for another scrum on halfway. England need to put the squeeze on here..

06:18 PM GMT

68 mins Scotland 30 - 21 England

Agh, Fin Smith’s conversion clips the uprights.

06:18 PM GMT

TRY ENGLAND!

Out of nowhere, England pull one back. They gobble up possession from the restart and Ben Spencer senses the young replacement winger Immanuel Feyi-Waboso is on his shoulder and boom - he puts him clean through, five metres out. Poor Cameron Redpath reads it terribly and is guilty for creating the gap. On his second cap, the Exeter winger and medicine student has his first England try. Just what the doctor ordered.

06:15 PM GMT

65 mins Scotland 30- 16 England

The boot of Finn Russell keeps the scoreboard ticking over. He’s nailed it from the tee this afternoon.

06:15 PM GMT

63 mins Scotland 27- 16 England

Nice first intervention from Fin Smith, who hoofs a decent kick downfield. George Horne, who is on for Ben White, sends an intuitive box kick downwards and from the ensuing passage of play Scotland win the penalty! Elliot Millar Mills is the guy on the floor being congratulated. He looks like he’s got the rub of the green there - did he come from the side as he launched himself over Ben Earl?

06:12 PM GMT

61 mins Scotland 27- 16 England

This game has got a bit scrappy - both sides have turned each other over twice in the past four minutes, as Ewan Ashman strips Will Stuart as England try to get their attacking engine going again. As we enter the final quarter  Fin Smith, the young Northampton fly-half, is on for George Ford.

06:08 PM GMT

58 mins Scotland 27- 16 England

England are trying to get a spring back in their step but their penalty count is creeping up. Finn Russell pops over another penalty, as Scotland eke their lead out to 11.

06:06 PM GMT

56 mins Scotland 24- 16 England

Borthwick has had enough and sends on the big ball carrying troops, including Will Stuart and Chandler Cunningham-South.

06:03 PM GMT

54 mins Scotland 24- 16 England

England win a huge scrum penalty five metres out from their own line and Ben Earl, like he always does, practically erupts. Ford hoofs down a clearance kick and England set up shop just inside the half way line. Earl and Itoje take turns to test Scotland’s defence before England are done for not releasing.

05:59 PM GMT

Data from Sage Insights

05:58 PM GMT

49 mins Scotland 24- 16 England

George Ford reduces the deficit ever so slightly with a penalty after Scotland infringe at the breakdown. George Martin - who has come off the bench - has made a sizeable impact - but oh no, he drops it from the restart! Oh dear. Scotland have a scrum in a decent position.

05:54 PM GMT

45 mins Scotland 24- 13 England

England lose their own lineout on halfway - Scott Cummings gets the better of Ethan Roots - and Scotland launch an attack. Russell has the vision - of course he does - to spot van Der Merwe loitering on his wing and sends up an inch-perfect boot... the winger waits and allows it to bounce in front of him and he’s away down his flank. A huge smile lights up across his face as he glides over. Russell makes no mistake from the tee

05:52 PM GMT

TRY SCOTLAND!

Yep.. it’s that man again, Duhan van der Merwe. He seals his hat-trick!

05:50 PM GMT

44 mins Scotland 17 - 13 England

Scotland are cranking up the intensity and sense England’s blitz defence is here for the taking. Patient phase play through the forward pods but it all fizzles to nothing as Sam Underhill with the vital poach! He launches himself over the top of a ruck and England regain possession.

05:47 PM GMT

43 mins Scotland 17 - 13 England

A great first touch from Redpath, who offloads cutely to Russell. The fly-half spots nobody is at home and chips over England’s backs. Huge pressure on the England lineout but a the visitors throw it long and it works, just about.

05:46 PM GMT

41 mins Scotland 17 - 13 England

Just the one change for Scotland. Cam Redpath is on for Tuipulotu, who hobbles off the pitch with strapping to his thigh.

05:44 PM GMT

Second half underway

Finn Russell gets things going again.

05:44 PM GMT

Data from Sage insights

05:39 PM GMT

Half-time verdict

Utterly compelling. England exploded into the contest with a near-perfect start. If the decision to start George Furbank at full-back was regarded as something of surprise, the Northampton Saints player did not take long to make it look like an inspired call by Steve Borthwick, gliding over for a try after just six minutes from a brilliantly executed move from a scrum. And it was George Ford, not Finn Russell who took early control of the contest, it was his delayed pass to Elliot Daly that put the England wing through the hole in the build-up to Furbank’s score and he then landed another penalty to put England 10-0 in front.  Yet Scotland’s response has been exhilarating, spearheaded by Duhan van der Merwe, who underscored his reputation as the championship’s most deadly finisher with two tries, the first from a well-crafted move that exploited a faultline in England’s new defence, a mix-up between Ollie Lawrence and Henry Slade the second taking full advantage of a dropped ball by Furbank - one of too many handling errors by England - and Gregor Townsend’s side a worthy of their four-point lead at the break. England will know they need the next score to stay in the game.

05:35 PM GMT

*That* Van der Merwe try

This was his second and it was artistic brilliance. Contender for try of the championship?

05:31 PM GMT

Half time Scotland 17 - 13 England

Ben Earl splinters off a sturgy English maul and the visitors go through the phases. A gap almost opens up for Lawrence, but Scotland swarm around him and the attack fizzles out and the episode sort of sums up that half. Scotland have had nine handling errors to England’s eight, which tells you everything you need to know about how error strewn both sides have been, bar those three moments of brilliance.

05:28 PM GMT

38 mins Scotland 17 - 13 England

Steve Borthwick will be feeling sick right now, England have dominated so much of this contest with 74 per cent territory but have been caught by two sucker punches and now find themselves 17-13 down. The blitz defence has been incredibly effective in neutralising Finn Russell’s influence in the game but one small dogleg in the centres was all it took for Huw Jones to tear through. Then George Ford’s unsympathetic pass to George Furbank was knocked on and Van Der Merwe is scoring his second try.

05:27 PM GMT

Data from Sage insights

05:26 PM GMT

36 mins Scotland 17 - 13 England

England look a bit rattled but George Ford, ever the picture of calm amid chaos, takes control of proceedings and nudges over one of his trademark drop goals.

05:24 PM GMT

34 mins Scotland 17 - 10 England

Scotland win a penalty inside England’s 22, and Finn Russell slices the uprights.

05:22 PM GMT

32 mins Scotland 14 - 10 England

Well van der Merwe’s second try has jolted this game into life. The winger kicks through a loose ball with his giant feet but the attack comes to nothing. Scotland have had two visits to England’s 22 and scored tries on both occasions. Clinical.

05:20 PM GMT

30 mins TRY SCOTLAND!

It’s Furbank who can’t hold onto the ball - it sort of bounces off him and into the waiting arms of Huw Jones. The centre senses an opportunity and as he is tackled shimmies a peach of a pass out to Scotland’s dangerman, van der Merwe. The South-African born flyer puts his foot on the gas and blitzes down his wing! He steps past Earl so easily and leaves Henry Slade for dead before finishing acrobatically in the corner!

05:17 PM GMT

28 mins: Scotland 7 - 10 England

Scotland look all at sea as they try to get out of their half - Finn Russell uncharacteristically spills it in the middle of the park - before Itoje pumps his giant legs but England knock on again.

05:15 PM GMT

25 mins: Scotland 7 - 10 England

England still have a spring in their step despite Van der Merwe’s score. They come again, keeping the ball between the forwards as Jamie George and Ben Earl make some big dents in the Scottish defence. Elliot Daly chips through with a grubber but he’s put too much on it and it trickles out..

05:11 PM GMT

23 mins: Scotland 7 - 10 England

Scotland begin to sense there are chinks in England’s defensive armour.. Tuipulotu barges his way through some bodies but Sam Underhill gets over the ball and wins the turnover.

05:09 PM GMT

20 mins TRY SCOTLAND!

Sione Tuipulotu puts Huw Jones sailing through England’s blitz defence and he’s scampers some 20 metres towards Scotlan’s tryline.. he’s hauled down by a pair of England backs but he astutely finds Van der Merwe, who showcases enough strength to msucle his way over the line. Wow, that came out of nowhere.

05:06 PM GMT

19 mins: Scotland 0 - 10 England

Ollie Lawrence spills again - that’s twice now from the centre - and Scotland seize on the momentum.

England’s early try has completely sucked the atmosphere out of Murrayfield. The only time the Scottish fans have become engaged was in attempting to drown out a chorus of Swing Low. Even so there was not the usual requisite instruction of where England should place their chariot. Otherwise it has been groans and moans with Scotland being harried and harrassed by England’s rush defence and high bombs.

05:05 PM GMT

16 mins: Scotland 0 - 10 England

From the restart Scotland try to recompose themselves - England are up so quickly - but they win a lineout in a decent position after Care kicks it out on the full. Scotland make a mess of the lineout again but Van der Merwe finds himself on the ball but is easily stripped of it by Ford. Messy.

05:03 PM GMT

15 mins: Scotland 0 - 10 England

Ford makes no mistake from the tee. A convincing opening quarter of an hour from England.

05:02 PM GMT

13 mins: Scotland 0 - 7 England

England engage early in the scrum and Scotland win a free kick. Russell hoofs it up to the grey Edinburgh skies and Danny Care sends up a box kick which the hosts can’t gather. England creep up to Scotland’s 22 - it’s been an untidy start by Scotland - and before long the hosts are penalised for offside. Ford lines up a crack at goal..

04:59 PM GMT

11 mins: Scotland 0 - 7 England

Both sides engage in a brief kick chase. Kinghorn gathers and runs into heavy traffic - he’s isolated as he goes to ground and England rush up and regain possession. They can’t do anything with it, though, as Ford fizzes a pass to Lawrence, who ends up spilling the ball.

04:56 PM GMT

8 mins: Scotland 0 - 7 England

England have another scrum after sloppy play from Scotland, who have lost Zander Fagerson to a head injury assessment, with Elliot Millar-Mills coming onto the field. they really do have a stranglehold over Scotland at the set piece at the moment.

04:54 PM GMT

6 mins: Scotland 0 - 7 England

Ford adds the extras and it’s a dream start for the visitors.

04:53 PM GMT

5 mins: TRY ENGLAND!

England win a free kick at the scrum. They call for another scrum and bish bash bosh... Ben Earl picks up quickly from the base, feeds Danny Care who lays off a beautiful flat pass to Henry Slade. It continues through quick hands and Elliot Daly puts George Furbank over. That was exquisite.

04:49 PM GMT

3 mins: Scotland 0 - 0 England

England have started brightly and shown some nice attacking endeavour but it all comes to nothing, as Itoje knocks on. First scrum of the match incoming....

04:48 PM GMT

2 mins: Scotland 0 - 0 England

Scotland begin flinging it about frantically but the ball trickles out of play down the left wing. England’s first lineout is a solid one, as Chessum leaps and gathers. A knock-on from Scotland and England are moving nicely through the phases as they tiptoe up to Scotland’s 22.

04:45 PM GMT

We're underway

George Ford gets the Calcutta Cup party started inside a feverish Murrayfield.

04:44 PM GMT

The anthems have finished..

‘Flower of Scotland’ really is a belter of a song when it’s sung acappella.

04:42 PM GMT

The teams walk out

Jamie George looks emotional - but determined - as he leads his team out of the tunnel. How proud his family must be to take to the field so close after his mother’s passing. He exhales deeply at the end of ‘God Save The King’.

04:36 PM GMT

A penny for Steward's thoughts...

England head on their now customary half-lap back to the changing rooms just as Scotland finish their warm-up, too. Bit of a gap between the teams this year… doesn’t seem to have been much scope for a Wilson-Ford incident as in 2018.

England’s five travelling reserves – Beno Obano, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Alex Coles, Fraser Dingwall and Freddie Steward – are the only players left out on the pitch to go through some sprints. Steward looks particularly energetic, it must be said. He must have had a difficult week or so.

04:34 PM GMT

Jamie George's late mother remembered

England will wear black armbands today in memory of Jamie George’s late mother, who passed away from cancer earlier this month. George has spoken eloquently and movingly this week about the huge influence his mum had on his rugby career.

04:21 PM GMT

Steve Borthwick's pre-match thoughts

The England head coach tells the BBC’s Sonja McLaughlan:

04:16 PM GMT

Scotland’s recent Calcutta Cup domination

The 130th edition of rugby’s oldest international fixture feels more significant than usual. If Gregor Townsend’s side win today, it would be their fourth in a row against England in the Six Nations for the first time since 1896. Make no mistake about it - England are the underdogs with a point to prove.

Scotland’s recent Calcutta Cup success has been built upon eye-catching displays, intrepid team endeavour and fine individual performances. Duhan van der Merwe’s mesmerising 60-metre try against England at Twickenham would have made for painful replays in England’s preparation this week.

The magical boot of Finn Russell inspired Scotland’s sensational comeback at the home of English rugby in 2019, when they roared back from 31-0 down. It was also Russell who delivered the crucial pass that put Huw Jones sailing through a gap in 2018 in an exquisite move executed by Sean Maitland.

Comb through the stats and Scotland’s superiority is easy to see. In every Calcutta Cup game except 2020, Gregor Townsend’s outfit have been the more clinical side in the opposition 22. They averaged a quite remarkable 5.4 points per visit in the 2019 edition, with 3.4 points per visit in 2022 and 4.1 in 2023. Compare that to England, whose 0.8 points per entry in both 2018 and 2021 is a confirmation of Scotland’s well-drilled defence.

Scotland love to kick. They kicked over a mile against France and will no doubt look to unleash that strategy again to combat England’s blitz defence, the aggressive approach England have adopted under Felix Jones.

04:05 PM GMT

TV coverage has started..

This afternoon’s coverage is anchored by Gabby Logan, who is joined in the studio by Ugo Monye, John Barclay and Sam Warburton.

03:59 PM GMT

99 not out for Danny Care

What day for England’s veteran scrum half who, at the age of 37, is still proving that age is just a number. A whole 16 years after his England debut, Care still finds himself at the coalface - in part thanks to injury to Alex Mitchell and Jack van Poortvliet - the latter who is still working his way back after missing last year’s World Cup with an ankle problem.

After earning a recall to Steve Borthwick’s squad last summer, having endured a four-year wait between his 84th and 85th caps under Eddie Jones before that, Care has singled himself out as calming presence in England’s squad.

Earlier this week, the Harlequin shared some rather unconventional secrets behind his longevity ahead of what will almost certainly be his final visit to Murrayfield of his Test career.

03:52 PM GMT

Finn Russell “surprised” at George Furbank selection

Finn Russell - Scotland’s tongue-in-cheek fly half who has orchestrated his side’s recent wins in this fixture - admitted his surprise at England’s selection of George Furbank over Freddie Steward at full-back.

Borthwick has made the bold decision to drop Steward entirely for the clash, favouring an attack-minded selection which sees Furbank thrown into a revamped backline which could function better with Ollie Lawrence a focal point in the midfield.

Furbank, who has spearheaded much of Northampton’s eye-catching displays in the Premiership, made his debut against France in 2020, later admitting he was disappointed with his own performance as England lost 24-17 in Paris.

“I really expected Steward to play,” said the fly-half. “I expected them to go with the blitz defence and go hard at the aerial battle, which would be similar to South Africa.

“I think picking Furbank means they might play a bit more; whether that’s due to having Care at No 9 and having Lawrence back as well [I don’t know]. Their style of play might be a bit different so we’ll have to be ready for everything.

“Furbank is a brilliant player I’ve chatted to Rory Hutchinson about him and he talks him up, being his team-mate [at Northampton Saints], so it’s a slightly different team to what we expected but we’ve got to be ready for anything, whether it’s that kicking game with the hard blitz defence or they’re looking to play a little bit. It’s meant to be dry so if both teams are looking to run it that should help a bit.”

It promises to be an intriguing battle of the fullbacks, with Scotland’s Blair Kinghorn also returning in the position for his first start of this year’s Six Nations after overcoming a knee injury.

03:46 PM GMT

Six Nations betting offers and free bets

Having a punt? First take a look at these Six Nations betting offers and free bets.

03:43 PM GMT

Calcutta Cup rivalry as fierce as ever

03:40 PM GMT

Wayne Barnes Q&A

Don’t forget we’ll be running a live Q&A on Monday morning with our columnist and former international rugby referee, Wayne Barnes.

Barnes is exclusively writing for Telegraph Sport throughout the Six Nations and has already explained what he would change about the current laws, how he would prepare to referee the England team and his reaction to the second round of action, including the TMO controversy at the end of Scotland v France.

Get your questions in!

03:37 PM GMT

Atmosphere building at Murrayfield

No sign of anything approaching a hate mob at Murrayfield for the arrival of the England team. A bit of half-hearted booing was about as “spiteful” as it got and no signs of any projectiles as there was six years ago when a bottle struck Neil Craig, the right-hand man to then England head coach Eddie Jones. Maybe that supports Gregor Townsend’s theory that quite a bit of the nastiness went out the fixture as Scotland became more successful in the Calcutta Cup, only losing one of their past six matches against England.

03:34 PM GMT

A reminder of the teams…

Steve Borthwick has made the bold decision to drop Freddie Steward entirely for this Calcutta Cup clash, favouring an attack-minded selection which sees George Furbank thrown into a revamped backline with Ollie Lawrence a focal point in the midfield.

Danny Care, Ellis Genge and Dan Cole are the other three changes to the side that edged Wales at Twickenham a fortnight ago.

England XV: G Furbank; T Freeman, H Slade, O Lawrence; G Ford, D Care; E Genge, J George, D Cole, M Itoje, O Chessum, E Roots, S Underhill, B Earl

Replacements: T Dan, J Marler, W Stuart, G Martin, C Cunningham-South, B Spencer, F Smith, Feyi-Waboso

Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend has made three changes following his side’s defeat to France a fortnight ago, with Blair Kinghorn, Kyle Steyn and Jamie Ritchie all restored to the team after missing out against Les Bleus.

Scotland XV: B Kinghorn, K Steyn, H Jones, S Tuipulotu, D Van der Merwe, F Russell, B White; P Schoeman, G Turner, Z Fagerson, G Gilchrist, S Cummings, J Ritchie, R Darge, J Dempsey.

Replacements: E Ashman, A Hepburn, E Millar-Mills, S Skinner, A Christie, G Horne, B Healy, C Redpath.

03:24 PM GMT

Good afternoon!

Welcome to our live coverage of Scotland v England and the 130th edition of the Calcutta Cup.

Steve Borthwick’s England have had the luxury of easing themselves into this year’s championship - albeit with scratchy wins over Italy and Wales. A different test awaits at Murrayfield, a venue where England are rarely made to feel comfortable and where they find themselves at a crossroads.

A win would surely reflect the progress they have made under Borthwick’s tenure. Lose, and their championship risks falling apart, with matches against Ireland at Twickenham and trip to Lyon to face France still to come.

England know they will be up against it but Borthwick - whose last game as England captain came at Murrayfield with a dour 15-15 draw in 2010 - bullishly talked up his side’s experience and enthusiasm ahead of his side’s so-called ‘moving day’.

Scotland have had the upper hand over England and look well positioned to defend their Calcutta Cup crown as they bid to make it four wins in a row over their Six Nations rivals.

Victory in Edinburgh would equal their longest winning streak of four matches in this fixture, which was achieved between 1893-1896.

Gregor Townsend’s side has been boosted by the return of Blair Kinghorn, who makes his first start in this year’s championship after missing the first two rounds with a knee injury.

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