Gregor Townsend warns England not to underestimate wounded Scotland

Gregor Townsend has warned England against underestimating his Scotland team and believes the hosts can maintain their fine recent Calcutta Cup record in Edinburgh on Saturday. The visitors have only won two of the last eight fixtures between the two countries and Townsend wants his players to feed off the feelgood memories of previous English losses.

While last weekend’s deeply disappointing loss to Italy in Rome has generated plenty of external criticism, England have won only once at Murrayfield since 2017. Townsend is expecting his players to bounce back from their Italian setback and says they will be inspired by past successes. “I would hope they don’t fade into irrelevance because our players have evidence that they’ve won in this fixture,” stressed the head coach.

“If it adds the extra bit of belief and motivation that we’ve been in this position before and we’ve won then that can only help. It doesn’t always work that that evidence leads to a victory. But we’re going to lean into anything that can help us get a win this weekend.”

Scotland have decided, nevertheless, not to recall Duhan van der Merwe, a regular scourge of England in the past, or his fellow British & Irish Lion Blair Kinghorn and have instead kept faith with the back three that started against Italy. There are changes up front, however, where Pierre Schoeman and Grant Gilchrist have been dropped and the injured Ewan Ashman has been replaced at hooker by George Turner. Jamie Ritchie also starts in the back-row with Matt Fagerson moving to the bench.

The reshuffle means there is a complete absence of representatives from Edinburgh in the starting XV while Scotland’s only other pro side, Glasgow Warriors, provide 10 players. It is the first time no Edinburgh squad members have featured in a Scotland XV since 1998, but Townsend is hoping the Murrayfield crowd will be more focused on the primary objective of beating England.

“It’s our biggest game of the season, it always has been,” said Townsend. “It’s even more important on the back of a defeat, a disappointing defeat. We know our supporters are behind us as they always are and we’ll need their energy at the weekend. The atmosphere at Murrayfield has been very special over the last few years and I’m sure they’re going to the game with huge expectation and hope.”

Scotland endured a miserable start to the Six Nations in Italy. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images

Last time Scotland played a tier one nation at home in November, however, they were booed off after squandering a 21-0 point lead in a wounding defeat to Argentina and Townsend is well aware of the noises off. “It’s part of the game. I understand, we’re all sports fans. We understand what happens when you lose, when people open up to criticise you or the team.”

A concerted reaction is now going to be required, with England currently on a 12-Test unbeaten run. The away team also happens to included five players – Tom Roebuck, Fin Smith, Fraser Dingwall, Henry Pollock, Bevan Rodd – who could have been eligible for Scotland either through birth or parentage. England last won in Edinburgh six years ago and only sneaked home last year by a point in a 16-15 thriller which saw Scotland score three tries to one and miss a potentially match-winning late conversion attempt.

Townsend now wants his side to rediscover their mojo and reclaim the Calcutta Cup. “I think the emotion in this fixture is going to be huge. But in my experience over the last eight or nine years, when we’ve been too emotional, that’s when we’ve not started well.

“There is a mindset, though, and I’d rather put it on to that. Of being physical, being aggressive and showing huge effort. That’s what the jersey demands and we know we have to deliver that this weekend. Our forwards’ display over these last number of games against England has been excellent. We understand the set-piece pressure England put on the opposition and combating that has been at the heart of our successes in this fixture. That has to come this weekend.”