Recap: Scotland vs England LIVE | Guinness Six Nations

Follow all the action on the RugbyPass live blog from the Guinness Six Nations match between Scotland and England at BT Murrayfield. 

Keep up to date with the latest score, stats and join the conversation from anywhere in the world in our Live Match Centre (click here).

Here are five talking points heading into the round two fixture in Edinburgh: 

England revamp

Only on one previous occasion in the Six Nations has Eddie Jones completed more drastic surgery to his starting XV – against Ireland two years ago – with the demotion of Ben Youngs to the bench the biggest casualty of the five changes made. 

(Continue reading below…)

Freddie Burns discusses the selection issues England have faced

Willi Heinz starts at scrum-half in his place, while Courtney Lawes, Charlie Ewels, Joe Marler and Manu Tuilagi are also gone, although the latter’s absence is enforced by a groin injury.

‘Bomb Squad’

England have opted for a six-two split between forwards and backs on the bench and Jones has made it clear that he believes Scotland can be targeted upfront by unleashing a fresh wave of forwards in the second half. 

It was a tactic used to brilliant effect by South Africa in last autumn’s World Cup victory with the six reinforcements who arrived on to the pitch at pre-determined times dubbed the ‘Bomb Squad’.

Small changes for both teams before the massive clash at Murrayfield! #GuinnessSixNations pic.twitter.com/tJ8lL1Cg7m

— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 6, 2020

Power deficit

For all the options on the bench, England are short of genuine firepower to blast them over the gain line – a deficiency evident in a grim defeat in Paris in round one. 

Tuilagi’s absence for at least one game has blunted their attack behind the scrum, with speed and agility the remaining elements left to their running game. 

The return of Mako Vunipola upfront provides some much-needed punch in the carry but the loss of his younger brother Billy to a broken arm is keenly felt.

What this manufactured outrage does is feed a simmering malcontent between the teams, stoked by the tunnel scrap of Ryan Wilson and Owen Farrell two years ago then the morons spitting bile at Jones the next day…

– @JLyall93 breaks down #SCOvENG ??????????????https://t.co/mFruaxieZl

— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 7, 2020

Murrayfield blues

The last visit to Scotland’s stronghold ended in misery for England and Jones. Glaring breakdown shortcomings were exposed by the Scots as a five-Test losing run that placed Jones’ future in grave doubt was launched, prompting much soul-searching until it finally came to an end in Cape Town. 

And Jones himself was a target for physical and verbal abuse by fans on his return by train from Edinburgh to London, via Manchester. He has since said that such behaviour towards him is a regular occurrence.

Always competitive at Murrayfield #ENGvsSCO #Murrayfield #sixnations2020 pic.twitter.com/P13pPZHzYB

— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 6, 2020

They hate us, we hate them

Lewis Ludlam lit the fuse for the 138th meeting between the old rivals with the use of some incendiary language – “they hate us, we hate them”, that Scotland should expect a “war” and “we’re coming for them”. 

Cue inevitable and tedious Twitter outrage, but the Northampton flanker was merely spicing up the fixture and proving the Celts do not have a monopoly on passion.

Gregor Townsend has struck a less aggressive note while admitting “this is the most important fixture we play every year”.

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