Scottish innovation can end 34 years of hurt
1983, the last time a Scotland XV defeated England at Twickenham, feels like an awfully long time ago.
The closest result in the 34 years since that last victory was a 12-12 draw in 1989.
It is not a good record by any stretch of the imagination, yet in just under a week, Scotland have their best chance to set the record straight and secure a victory at HQ for many, many years.
Vern Cotter’s side will be riding high after two home victories against teams that they have succumbed to far too often in recent years.
In defeating Ireland and Wales at Murrayfield, Scotland have played some spectacular, belligerent and resourceful rugby and if they are to stand a chance of halting England’s extraordinary run of victories, they will have to play out of their skins again for the full 80 minutes.
Wales showed that competing against this English side for 75 minutes just isn’t enough.
England have developed the winning habit and, more often than not in this 6 Nations Championship, they have “won ugly”.
Last weekend was a case in point. Italy embarrassed England.
Conor O’Shea had worked out a tactic to create confusion. He had briefed the referee and told him of the plans so there was no doubt about the laws and then his players executed brilliantly.
England were made to look foolish and the lecture that Romain Poite, the referee, gave to Haskell and Hartley was hilarious.
Since then the English media and rugby establishment have called for changes to the law – to help them save some face in the light of the rest of the rugby world laughing at their inability to adapt.
The risk for Scotland is that they will face an English backlash.
Having been the laughing stock for the best part of the last fortnight, England will be wanting to put things right and Eddie Jones has already started the mind games in the media – something that Cotter and his players have sensibly ignored.
Scotland will have to do the basics exceptionally well – scrums, lineouts and other set pieces must work perfectly.
They will have to try and control the breakdown and dictate the pace of the game as best they can.
They will have to continue to be innovative and in order to really upset what can be a fairly inflexible English team, they will have to throw something at them that they haven’t seen before.
Scotland have done that in parts this season, yet they know as a group of players they have more to give.
Saturday is the time to give it and if they do, 34 years of pain will be erased in a moment.