Six Nations: Scotland must tick all boxes to upset resurgent England

Published on Friday 11 March 2011 16:18

RECORDS are out of date, I was reminded this week by a youngster overhearing a Calcutta Cup discussion, and there could possibly be no more salient message as we look forward to the centenary of Scotland's first trip to Twickenham.

It may have been the vinyl type that my young adviser spoke of, but records have been tumbling around the rugby fraternity all week. It starts invariably when the Calcutta Cup hoves into view with the number of years since Scotland last won at what was once an old cabbage patch, now a record stretching to 28 years, and this season is continuing over the disparity of scoring statistics between the two nations.

England have scored 11 tries in just three games, which is a fair record in these supposedly straitened try-scoring times, while their Northampton wing Chris Ashton is on a tally of six so far, which includes a new record of four in one game - against Italy - and equals the championship best set by the 'Flying Scotsman' Ian Smith, his countryman Will Greenwood and Shane Williams, with still two games to go.

Scotland's records of the moment are more about the number of tries conceded and passed up. Nine have been shipped, more than in the whole of the 2010 tournament and level with 2009 already, and while the three scored, all against France in the opening match, is on a par with recent years, the cause of most frustration in the Scots camp has been the squandering of something in the region of ten other clear-cut opportunities against the French, Welsh and Irish.

We could go on, but you really do not want to know how difficult Scotland have found it to score at Twickers in the past decade. It is Saturday and hope springs eternal, and the reason is that records have little to do with the game of rugby itself.

Six Nations coverage in full

• Scotland win would turn England slam bid into 'shambles'

• Scotland must tick all boxes to upset resurgent England

• Alastair Kellock: We respect this England side. We don't fear them

• Martin Johnson tells England to expect the unexpected

• Allan Massie: Maybe, just maybe, it is time for a shock result

• Predictions for the Calcutta Cup showdown

• 'We need to get a lot right to win, but we can do it' insists Chris Paterson

• Laid-back Richie Gray has confidence of youth

• How they line up at Twickenham

• Club team blow 17-point lead as Irish claim spoils in thriller

• Neil Jenkins hails Irish 'legend' Ronan O'Gara

• Women's Six Nations: Karen Findlay urging women's side to 'savour moment' ahead of Twickenham test

• Six Nations interview: Chris Rea

• Elliot Daly does damage as England U20s notch record win against Scotland

• Italy looking to exploit their French connection

David Leslie's interview in yesterday's Scotsman was fascinating because it provided insight into how players have to think if they are to give themselves a chance of victory when their backs are to the wall. Different eras, different teams and different odds perhaps, but, with just four wins recorded there since England's move from Richmond in 1911, the soundtrack to visits to London remains eerily familiar.

And all the records do, essentially, is underline that the visitors tomorrow are the underdogs, and so, conversely, Alastair Kellock's squad have probably not been as comfortable for some time.

Why Scottish players perform better in adversity and when no-one gives them a chance, even psychologists struggle to define, but it is a fact proven time and again.The current Scotland team have deserved most of the criticism hurled their way after performances of varying levels of ineptitude and promise-bursting errors, which all added up to the same thing - defeat.

They will stride into England's 82,000-capacity home also aware that there is a great belief rising across the Home Counties. England have not only beaten Wales, Italy and France, but they have shown an ability to take their game to a new level, one in which the players are comfortable on the ball in tight and across the park, driving up through the forwards, winning the arm-wrestle and attacking with speed and incision. Though not all the time.

They have matched their number of wins of the past three years and many in this squad are only too well aware that that was their frustrating limit. With Scotland at home and a far from dominant Ireland in Dublin to finish, they are confident of using the momentum generated so far to surpass that this time, and that confidence will need a lot of denting before it turns in on itself.

Scotland have been bold. No return to Dan Parks and an attempt to strangle England through a forward battle and kicking in behind them. Some Scots hoped for that approach from coach Andy Robinson, but he has instead opted to give Ruaridh Jackson his head, and second Test start, and brought back Rory Lawson because his passing to Jackson is considered superior to Mike Blair's, and more important than Blair's threat around the fringes tomorrow.

Robinson would have hoped to have been well on is way to developing a game to strike fear into England by now, a win at Twickenham the perfect first book-end to a year with another 'Auld Enemy' clash in Auckland, New Zealand, at the World Cup.

It has not gone to plan, however, and while Scotland have stuttered, England have finally launched themselves under Martin Johnson. But, looking at the game, throwing off the records and the form, and Scotland do have a chance.

Scotland have a lineout that England will respect, with Al Kellock and Richie Gray the beacon of hope amidst the Scots' mediocrity, the genuine world-class aspect of the team that can ensure a good supply of ball for the visitors tomorrow and shake the foundations of England's game-plan.

The scrum is the other big battle-ground. If Glasgow tighthead Moray Low can lift his performance another notch from a good showing against Ireland, against newcomer Alex Corbisiero, Ross Ford lift his performance against Dylan Hartley across the set-piece and out-shine him in the loose, and Allan Jacobsen forget his difficulties with referee Nigel Owens at Murrayfield and give Dan Cole a torrid afternoon, then Scotland have a chance.

Failure up front and, well, it is just Saturday morning.Let's not go there quite yet.

If Scotland can gain parity in the scrums and excel in the lineouts, the back row of Nathan Hines, John Barclay and Kelly Brown match their opposite numbers in work-rate, aggression and accuracy, and French referee Romain Poite stands strong, then Lawson and Jackson will have the opportunity to control aspects of the game. If they can get the kicks spot-on, so that high ones give their team-mates a chance of getting there and force errors and penalties from England, and long ones, and the chase, put the home back three under pressure or reach touch, Scotland have a chance.

Jackson also knows he has to bring his instinctive game to the international arena. Under pressure a stand-off retreats simply to ensure he has time to execute the skill he desires. Playing in the face of a physical and furious opposition defence, one Test stand-off once described to me to be akin to sticking your head into a roasting oven and then trying to remain cool enough to execute the game-plan. It takes real guts, or a touch of madness.

Jackson discovered against Ireland just how little time there is to receive a pass and deliver the ball to its intended target in Test rugby, and that will have come as a shock, no matter the training and words of advice beforehand. The intensity will be even greater tomorrow against this impressive England team in their den.

But it is the game that Scotland need to give Sean Lamont, Joe Ansbro, the back three and the back row the opportunity to take attacks over the gain-line, ask questions of the English defence and control periods of the game.

Without possession, territory and control of the tempo, England and Ashton are powerless. Scotland must then score when those three aspects of the game come together and that will be the key.

There can be no more passed-up scoring opportunities if a historic win at Twickenham is to be achieved; there can be no easy tries given away through poor defensive structure and missed tackles, and there can be no loss of concentration or panic when the white jerseys have their moments in the ascendency.

And if anyone does want a stat to clutch for inspiration, how about the one that says Scotland have scored many more tries in the odd years in the Six Nations than in the even - 25 in the five odd years to date and just six in the six even? Bizarre? Yes. Relevant? No.

It is not about records tomorrow afternoon, but about how all of Kellock's men cope with the pressure and intensity a confident England produce at Twickenham and the clinical improvement they bring over 80-plus minutes to a style of game they have yet to launch properly.

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This article was first published in Scotland On Sunday, 27 February, 2011

This article was first published in The Scotsman, 26 February, 2011

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