Rugby: English pundits not convinced of Scotland's chances in Six Nations clash

Published on Wednesday 10 March 2010 08:45

SCOTLAND have been written off for Saturday's Calcutta Cup showdown in Edinburgh by a former England World Cup winner.

Matt Dawson, scrum-half in the England side which earned global glory in 2003 and who now earns is living as a broadcaster for the BBC, says: "Scotland will raise their game but England have a good game plan and I don't think Scotland will be able to handle them."

Meanwhile, Dawson's fellow England cap, Jerry Guscott, is questioning the Scots' conditioning. "Their match against Wales was there for the taking but they just weren't fit enough and the tiredness brought about bad decisions from the players. If Robinson can improve the team's fitness they will get better because they like to play a game that demands supreme fitness."

&#149 BOROUGHMUIR found that lightning does strike twice as they crashed out of the Scottish rugby cup against Cartha QP for the second time in four years last night. A second-half fight back from 0-17 couldn't prevent the Edinburgh side going down 27-15 to the Third Division Glasgow outfit at their Haggs ground and Cartha now face Perthshire on Saturday.

In 2006 Cartha pulled off a shock cup win over Boroughmuir at Meggetland.