Huw Jones: Scotland desperate to make amends against England

Scotland's Huw Jones races through against France. Picture: Neil Hanna

Last year’s Calcutta Cup clash at Twickenham turned into the worst day of an otherwise excellent 2017 as Vern Cotter’s Triple Crown chasers lost by a record score of 61-21.

Centre Huw Jones scored two consolation tries that day and continued his prolific run with the second Scottish try in Sunday’s tense 32-26 win over the French, taking his tally to eight in just 13 caps.

Now he is aiming to avenge that Twickenham trauma in Edinburgh a week on Saturday when the Six Nations restarts after a weekend off.

“I am massively excited. We got pumped down there,” said Jones of last year’s humbling. “It wasn’t great. It was a day to forget. Everybody involved that day and everybody else in the squad are really looking forward to the England game to try and make amends.”

Jones’s namesake, the  England coach Eddie, has already fired some thinly veiled barbs about what he thinks of Scotland’s expansive playing style but the Glasgow Warriors centre wasn’t taking the bait

“We have looked at England. That will mainly come from the coaches, our gameplan,” said the 24-year-old.

“We will chat about that over the next two weeks. I will patiently await what Gregor has to say.

“It doesn’t get bigger for a Scotland player to play England up here. We are all really excited about it. We’ve got two weeks to prepare so we will be working hard. I can’t wait.”

England’s already formidable scrum will be even more prepared for the trip to Edinburgh after it emerged coach Jones has arranged two days of scrummaging sessions with Georgia in London this week.

The Aussie promised the hit-outs will have the same intensity as a Test match.

Georgia has one of the most feared scrums in international rugby, with many of its forwards playing in France’s Top 14 league.

“We want to have the best scrum in the world,” said Jones, “and they’re the biggest, ugliest, strongest scrum pack in the world. Why wouldn’t we want to scrummage against them? It’s fantastic.”

Jones had floated the idea of England travelling to  Tbilisi to train against the Georgians, before it was decided they would visit London. England’s Rugby Football Union will pick up the cost of accommodation.

England are chasing a third straight title and have started the Six Nations with victories over Italy and Wales.

Despite suffering a front-row injury crisis in the tournament’s build-up Scotland’s scrum has held up well in the first two rounds but the fierce examination from England will be its toughest test.