Scotland unleashed one other Murrayfield nightmare on England as they regained the Calcutta Cup – and eased the strain on Gregor Townsend – with a 31-20 victory that extinguished their rivals’ 12‑Take a look at profitable run.
England, chasing a primary Murrayfield win since 2020, arrived in Edinburgh stuffed with expectation on the again of a 12 months‑lengthy profitable streak, solely to be met with a sobering and all-too acquainted actuality test.
Henry Arundell’s early sin‑binning set a disastrous English first half in movement, one from which there was no method again as a rampant Scotland, led by the inspirational Finn Russell, plundered tries from Huw Jones and Jamie Ritchie contained in the opening quarter of an hour.
Arundell seemed to have ignited a first-half England fightback with a strive on his return from the bin, however Ben White capitalised on an Ellis Genge error to tighten Scotland’s grip on the competition earlier than Arundell noticed yellow for a second time – and a 20-minute pink – for taking Kyle Steyn out within the air.
Scotland saved an improved England at arm’s size within the second half and ended the competition for good when George Ford’s tried drop aim was charged down by Matt Fagerson, who launched Jones to race clear for his second – and Scotland’s bonus‑level‑clinching fourth strive.
Scotland’s response to their opening‑spherical loss in Italy was so rousing that Ben Earl’s late rating amounted to little greater than scant comfort for an England facet comprehensively crushed for the primary time in a protracted whereas.
Scotland inflict newest Murrayfield nightmare on England
Henry Arundell was proven two first-half yellow playing cards
If Finn Russell’s early penalty settled Scottish nerves, then Arundell’s sin‑binning for not releasing within the deal with gave them the additional impetus they wanted. By the point Arundell returned, Scotland had scored 14 unanswered factors.
Russell’s beautiful off‑the‑cuff flick despatched Jones over within the nook, earlier than Sione Tuipulotu’s looped move put Ritchie over untouched as Scotland made full use of the numerical benefit.
Trailing 17-0 contained in the opening quarter of an hour, a shell‑shocked England started to claw themselves off the canvas.
Scotland’s Huw Jones (proper) celebrates with team-mates after scoring a strive
A Ford penalty obtained them on the board, earlier than the fly‑half’s deft fingers despatched Arundell – minutes after returning to the sector – over below the posts.
However simply when England seemed to be mounting a comeback, Scotland reasserted their dominance. The fleet‑footed Russell weaved via a number of missed tackles earlier than hacking forward, and Genge’s spill put a 3rd Scotland strive on a plate for scrum‑half White.
A nightmare first interval was not carried out there, with Arundell the recipient of a 20-minute pink card after being proven a second yellow for an unlucky, unintentional problem on Scotland wing Steyn within the air.
Scotland’s Ben White (centre left) celebrates scoring their third strive
One other Ford penalty noticed England rating the primary factors of the second half, however Scotland used their numerical benefit to limit them to only that earlier than hitting them with a game-clinching fourth strive.
Ford was thrown the ball after England had misplaced momentum in assault, however his drop aim was charged down by substitute Fagerson, who gathered the rebound after which offloaded Jones, who raced half the size of the sector for a shocking breakaway rating.
And there was no method again for England, who noticed Earl’s late strive deny Scotland their largest win over them in 40 years – but it surely got here too late to wake them from their newest Murrayfield nightmare.
