ADAM CAN BREAK THE HASTINGS CURSE

SCOTLAND legend Scott Hastings has pinned his hopes on nephew Adam breaking the family’s Twickenham curse.

Neither Scott nor brother Gavin, both Lions of distinction, ever beat England there despite careers totalling 126 caps.

But Gavin’s son Adam

(above) is part of Gregor Townsend’s squad today and Scott hopes the 22-year-old will cap a great month for one of Scotland’s top sporting families.

He said: “The Hastings name, I suppose, has been synonymous with Scottish sport for the past couple of decades and it’s great to see Adam flying the flag.

“My daughter Kerry-anne was capped at hockey two weeks ago and hopefully Adam can do something at Twickenham that will leave a mark.”

Adam was born more than 13 years after Scotland last won in London but said: “I’ve not got any demons there. Maybe that’s what’s good about this young squad. We’re brave and don’t have any fear about these big games.

“It’s a great challenge for us. Where would it be better to win than down there and against that team as well?”

Team boss Townsend has reminded his players that it is they who hold the Calcutta

Cup, adding: “It took 10 years and a lot of work to win that back, we want to make sure we hold onto it for a bit longer.”

But Scotland have been poor in this campaign and a repeat of their last Twickenham result, when they were thrashed, seems more likely than a first win there for 36 years.

And Scott (above) admitted: “If Scotland make the same mistakes they have done throughout the championship they’ll get utterly exposed.”