Tom English: 'English jibes must represent an effrontery to the proud Scots'

Published on Friday 11 March 2011 14:18

'English jibes must represent an effrontery to the proud Scots'

Let's face it, the numbers don't look good, do they? In fact, they look hideous. They point to a severe thumping for Scotland at Twickenham this afternoon, a bit of a hiding that's going to make it a long and grim week before the Wooden Spoon decider against Italy on Saturday.

We all know about the bottom-line statistic, the mind-blowing run of failure in London that has seen Scotland record just four wins in 44 matches going back 100 years, but there is a mountain of other gobsmacking numbers to consider. Since the last Scotland victory at 'HQ', in 1983, England have outscored the Scots by 373 points to 167 and by 38 tries to 12 at Twickenham. In the current Six Nations, England have made 20 line breaks to Scotland's six, have missed only 11 tackles to Scotland's 32, have scored 11 tries to Scotland's three and have conceded two tries to Scotland's nine.

It's no wonder that so few people give any credence to Scotland having a chance today. Away back in 1990, they were 4-1 outsiders to win the famous Grand Slam game at Murrayfield, but this afternoon they're an extraordinary 12-1 with England the unbackable of hotpots at the prohibitive odds of 1-14.

They're an easy target, Andy Robinson's team. The English press have been giving them some playful stick in the last few days. Their attacking unit has been described as "positively funereal" and their defence has been teased for having more holes than Rab C Nesbitt's famous string vest. "Only a lunatic optimist would give them any chance," wrote the former England centre, Will Greenwood, yesterday, who went on to scoff at Scotland's effort against Wales - "garbage" - while saying that some of the stuff they produced against Ireland was "suicidal". Greenwood's conclusion: England by 17 points.

Six Nations coverage in full

• 'Hate' has gone out of Calcutta Cup, says England coach Martin Johnson

• Scotland need to rediscover their 'mongrel' fury to avoid being crushed by England

• Records 'there to be broken', says Rory Lawson

• Tom English: 'English jibes must represent an effrontery to the proud Scots'

• Chris Ashton once feared his switch to union was a mistake. His try record proves otherwise

• Sound of silence will be a result for Scotland at England's fortress

• Calcutta cup head to heads

• Italy 22 - 21 France: Nick Mallett's finest hour

• Wales 19 - 13 Ireland: Irish fury over winning try fails to dampen Welsh joy

• Women's Six Nations: Ruth Slaven eager to tackle the English

Nobody in Scotland should take offence at any of this for Greenwood and the rest are just speaking the truth. Nobody, that is, apart from the Scotland players. To a proud, but struggling team, the bookmakers figures and the jibes in the media should represent effrontery of the most objectionable kind. They should be in a heightened state at this point, they should be looking out for such comments and, in their own heads, using them as motivation. The game has changed in so many different ways over the years but some old-fashioned virtues remain - and sticking things on the dressing room wall as a means of firing up your players is one of them. Particulary, in an ultra-aggressive sport like rugby.

In the distant past, Jim Telfer used to feed off this kind of thing.He'd use it - and sometimes exaggerate it - to galvanise his players. In The Grudge, my book about the 1990 Grand Slam, he recounted to me what he said to his players on the morning of the game in a little room at the Carlton Highland Hotel in Edinburgh, a chilling and inspirational speech of raw power and high emotion.

"If I believe what I read in the English papers we've got no f****** chance at all. We may as well pack up and go home to our families. Are we wasting our time? Are the English media right about you? Journeymen! Not in England's class! Lucky to get this far! That's what they're saying. Are they right? Only you can answer that question.

"But here's what I think. You're better than they are. You're fitter, stronger, hungrier and cuter. You've worked harder than they have. You want it more than they do. Days like this don't come around very often, boys. Take it from me, I know. I can only imagine what it must be like to be in your shoes today. To play for a Grand Slam in front of your own people. What an opportunity! What a privilege!

"Your jersey is there, boys. Don't put a hand on it until you're ready to accept the responsibility that comes with it. Pick one up, turn it round and see whose number it is. Hand it to the man it belongs to, wish him luck, make a commitment."

What is mystifying about Robinson's team is the desperately drowsy manner in which they have started recent games. Where's the thunder been? Where's the controlled fury? In two of their three autumn internationals, Scotland conceded a try - or tries - in the opening minutes and this bizarre and damaging trend was continued in their first game of the Six Nations when they fell 10-0 behind to France after nine minutes.

Undoubtedly, Robinson would have addressed this in training the following week, would have sought to get to the bottom of why this was happening. And the response he got? Wales came to Murrayfield and were 7-0 ahead after eight minutes and 16-0 ahead at the end of the first quarter. Scotland never recovered. That would have sparked another inquisition in the camp but, when Ireland came to play a fortnight ago, the same thing happened. Ireland scored a converted try after six minutes.

In fact, in seven of their last nine Test matches, Scotland have shipped a try in the opening ten minutes. Greenwood is right. It's suicidal stuff. If that pattern continues today, then they could find themselves on the end of a terrible beating. Rugby is about many things and we could witter on all day about the technobabble aspects of the modern game. But at its heart is an enduring simplicity. If you're not psyched-up from the first whistle then you are going to lose - and in places like Twickenham, lose heavily.

There are plenty of keys to this afternoon.Is Ruaridh Jackson up to it? Can Joe Ansbro make something happen in the midfield? Will Ross Ford bring his considerable bulk to bear on the game? Can the Scottish scrum survive? Have they made the massive strides in defence that they'll need to make to stop Toby Flood and Chris Ashton causing havoc? Can anybody do anything about Tom Wood's remarkable influence in the England back-row? But, if Scotland don't turn up in belligerent mood over the flak that has flown their way, then we can forget about everything else.

It's quite straightforward. Scotland at their bellicose best are a formidable force. It would be nice to get reacquainted with them.

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