A wonder try, one of the best ever seen in Calcutta Cup history
AND hey presto, Scotland will find themselves ranked five in the world on Monday morning when the World Rugby computer fires up and belches up its latest standings. It moves in mysterious ways but is rarely wrong.
Such an elevated ranking may catch some by surprise because Scotland and Gregor Townsend often seem under fire and frequently get accused of underperforming but then when you consider they have lost only once to England in their last six meetings, perhaps not.
This is also the group that beat Australia in the Autumn, played the All Blacks off the park for an hour in November before managing to grab defeat from the jaws of victory and then rounded the campaign off by putting 50 points on Argentina.
Scotland are a seriously talented rugby side who play with an electricity that can be hard to neutralise when the force is with them.
Nothing epitomises that better than Duhan van der Merwe’s wonder trying the first half – and don’t worry we will give full and extravagant homage to his masterpiece in a moment - but in truth Scotland crackled and sparked for the full 80.
With their crisp handling, adventurous spirit and virtuosity in the wide spaces there was always a great Scotland try just around the corner and in fairness England also came to the party and the result was yet another Calcutta Cup classic. There is a manic energy to this oldest of all internationals that has been passed on through the decades and centuries, even when skillsets are not the greatest or the weather interferes.
So, Van der Merwe’s try. I won’t keep you any longer. What a treat, a thing of beauty to treasure and make rugby folk proud again after a tough few weeks and months. When played at its best, in the right setting, there is no team sport in the world to compare and exceptional players like Van der Merwe respond and find something special.
It wasn’t exactly a surprise because for a couple of years now the game has acknowledged the big South African’s running power and speed and he has scored crackers before, although none quite this good.
As ever with moments of genius the try had that dreamy sense of being inevitable and scripted with time slowing down as it was enacted. It was meant to be and that’s not just hindsight, you could sense something was on from the off. He certainly could.
Defenders - Genge, Merchant, Farrell, van Poortvliet and finally Dombrandt - were left in his wake, agonisingly unable to make significant
“This Scotland are a seriously talented side who can play with electricity”
contact as if by mutual agreement with the ball carrier or being choreographed by a film director.
A big man moving at speed, van der Merwe also demonstrated a Duckham-like poise, quick feet to slightly alter his balance and two sweet steps infield off his left foot and a mighty handoff to dismiss a slightly bemused Dombrandt who I suspect didn’t think he would be able to make a tackle before Van der Merwe stepped in his direction.
Jaw-dropping stuff and right up there with some of the best Calcutta tries ever seen at England’s citadel which are incidentally among some of the best scores full stop. All that energy needing an outlet.
Personally I would rate it level pegging with Richard Sharp’s triple dummy and under-the-posts effort in 1963 but would raise no objections if you wanted to place it top of the pile. Other containers might be Andy Hancock in1965, Clive Woodward’s effort in 1981 and Bob Hiller’s dashing team try in 1971. Mainly England, you will note, because Twickenham has not generally been a happy hunting ground for the Scots although times they are a’changin in that respect.
Amidst the Van der Merwe mayhem – and how good was that second try of his although this time his role was to finish off sharp and dextrous work from colleagues - we should not omit to make special mention of Huw Jones.
It’s remarkable to think that Jones doesn’t always command a place in Scotland’s starting XV but then again the Scots do boast some hellish good centres. This was Jones fifth try in five Tests against England for heaven’s sake, most of them very easy on the eye. The former Millfield schoolboy has always been a talent but his versatility has sometimes counted against him. Quick enough to start on the wing, he also possesses the all-round game to play full-back and was a revelation at 15 during his short spell with Quins when they won the Premiership.
Outside centre is his best position though, operating alongside a big unit to distract the opposition defence such as Sione Tuipulotu. The so-called Huwipulotou axis! And Jones also thrives running off a 10 with a wide range of passes. Finn Russell for example.
But now the most important match of the season for Scotland. Wales at home. I always thought they would play well yesterday although I had England down for a narrow win but Wales at home is exactly the kind of game the Scots have lost in past seasons when they should clearly have won. Only with back-to-back victories can Scotland start putting a Six Nations campaign worthy of the name together.
Start building that momentum and who knows where it might all end. Encouragingly, they didn’t celebrate at Twickenham last night as if they had just won the World Cup. Scotland mean business
“Van der Merwe demonstrated a Duckham-like poise to alter his balance”