Hostility and physical game will not affect us: Hartley

DY L A N H A RT L E Y describes today’s Calcutta Cup clash in Edinburgh as “us against the world” but insists England are too tenacious to be affected by Scottish hostility.

England’s recent record at Murrayfield points to a potentially fraught afternoon, having lost on two of their last four visits and drawn on a third.

“Anywhere in the Six Nations, as an England player, it feels like us against the world,” Hartley said.

England’s recent lack of success at Murrayfield is mirrored by the dearth of tries — one in the last six games.

Rain has been forecast for the hours leading into today’s showdown and, with the parasite-infected pitch prone to cutting up, the elements required for a classic Scottish ambush are in place.

England risk being dragged into trenches to fight the type of hand-tohand combat that will suit their spirited, if limited, opponents. It is a game plan for which Hartley has grudging respect.

“I can imagine the Scots will be very physical and quite lumpy up front,” he said.

“If we get dragged into an arm-wrestle, I’m sure we can cope with it, but we don’t want to do that. We want to do that bit of the game but then play elsewhere.”

Leading Scotland’s forward assault will be fiery second row Jim Hamilton, who was warned over persistent foul play in Sunday’s 28-6 defeat by Ireland.

“That’s him, that’s Jim’s game. He’s a competitor like that. He can also play as well,” Hartley said.

“He seems to have that presence about him, but he’s actually got quite a good ball-carrying game. He’s a good rounded player.”

When asked if there is any reason to believe the clash will deviate from the usual attritional 80 minutes, Hartley replied: “I can’t promise it will.”

SNS. England captain Chris Robshaw gets on the ball at the Captain’s Run at Murrayfield yesterday.