Only history worth a damn is the piece Scotland write today

CONFIDENCE is tempered by the apparent impossibility of it all. No matter how much evidence you may cite in support of a Scottish win this afternoon, the weight of history — the accumulated crushing mass of 34 years without tasting victory at Twickenham — presses down upon expectations.

That is why so many, including no less a figure than Grand Slam winner Gavin Hastings, have been preaching caution ahead of Scotland’s biggest game since a certain Rugby World Cup quarter-final at the same venue just 17 months ago.

Everyone is in agreement that the Scots — now ranked fifth in the world — have taken huge strides since falling just short on that devastating October afternoon at a tartanised Twickenham.

Yet, in this era of fake news, even indisputable evidence is not enough to shake collective scepticism. You may believe that we’ll put a man on Mars before the decade is out. But Scotland beating England at ‘HQ’… that’s just science fiction.

Hastings has a point when he argues that Eddie Jones’ team — despite chasing a world recordequalling 18 consecutive Test victories — have yet to peak in this Six Nations, the former Lion then confessing: ‘If they were to turn on their best rugby, my worry is can Scotland cope?’

Fair point. But have Vern Cotter’s men, with two wins out of three putting a Triple Crown within their grasp, come anywhere close to fulfilling their own potential in this closing stretch for the departing head coach?

Should Scotland put together a complete 80-minute performance, marrying the first of their win over Ireland with the second 40 minutes that left Wales beaten and broken, England will have to excel just to stay in the game.

There is a quiet sense of belief among the squad, the presence of injured skipper Greig Laidlaw at the team hotel yesterday no doubt helping to engender a feeling of assurance. Even more than 24 hours before kick-off, excitement was beginning to build.

For Hastings, today’s match feels like a natural collision between two teams more evenly matched than ever. Even if he can’t shake those fears about the home team’s hidden depths suddenly bubbling to the surface.

‘Scotland have played some very exciting rugby,’ he said. ‘With wins over Ireland and Wales, it’s been very good. I do worry, however. It strikes me that England are a long way from playing their best rugby. And, at some stage, they are going to play some very good rugby.

‘On the other hand, the last time Scotland were at Twickenham — the Rugby World Cup — we turned the ground Scottish that day by virtue of the way we played.

‘But we have to be very realistic about it, given our record there. Given the fact that England have not played well, and the fact that if England do play well, where will Scotland be?’

Scotland’s coaches know what to expect, predicting English tactics with words like ‘brutal’, ‘bullying’ and ‘battering’. In response, Cotter’s men will attempt to play an attacking game only when circumstances allow.

Underlying the challenge facing his team today, Scotland backs coach Jason O’Halloran — the man credited by many for adding a clinical edge to the attack — warned: ‘England are a clear No 2 in the world, with aspirations to be No1. That says it all. And I think we’ll see their best.

‘I think England certainly believe they have strengths in certain areas, where they truly believe they are going to dominate you.

‘If you can take that away from them, they will have a plan B or C. I’m sure they do have a Plan B, at least. But can they execute it as efficiently as their plan A?’

It would be lovely for Scotland to play well enough to at least ask the question. There is a suspicion that, if the original Jones blueprint is ripped up and cast to the four winds, his players lack the wit to improvise an adequate response.

‘It’s true that Scotland haven’t played their best rugby yet, either,’ added Hastings. ‘That’s the exciting part. But I would like to downplay that!

‘We can go down there with our heads held a lot higher than we’ve been able to do in years gone by.

‘But it strikes me that there has been a lot of talking by the Scottish players, and one or two of the coaching team. I’m slightly nervous about that, as well.

‘I think if we just kept shtum all week that might be quite good. But to say Twickenham holds no fears or whatever — you don’t need to say that. Just keep quiet.

‘I’m downplaying Scotland. I don’t think they should do anything other than downplay their chances.’

There’s that natural defensiveness again, that reluctance to open ourselves up to the possibility of glory. If the bookies still make Scotland 5-1 outsiders, however, the prospect of an away win should not be discounted.

Ignore the miserable record. This game will be decided on rugby strengths and weaknesses. History? As Henry Ford once put it, the only history worth a tinker’s damn is the history we make today.