England v Scotland - Scottish Rugby

2023 Guinness Six Nations

4 Feb 2023 - 4:45 pm

Twickenham

Full-Time

23 - 29

view scoring

Tries

Malins24′

Malins38′

Genge48′

15′Jones

29′van der Merwe

51′White

74′van der Merwe

Conversions

Farrell49′

16′Russell

53′Russell

76′Russell

Penalties

Farrell43′

Farrell65′

69′Russell

Drop Goals

80'

SCOTLAND RETAIN THE CALCUTTA CUP

It’s all over and Scotland have done it! A totally absorbing Test match results in the visitors picking up back-to-back wins at Twickenham for the very first time! Tries from Huw Jones, Ben White and a Duhan van der Merwe double, aided by nine points form the tee by Finn Russell, tell but a sliver of the tale. Scotland’s Guinness Six Nations has got off to the best possible start, with next Saturday’s second fixture against Wales a chance to lay down a real marker.

69'

Horne on for White

George Horne takes to the field for the try-scoring Ben White at scrum-half.

79'

Massive penalty Scotland!

Jamie Ritchie just feeds off the floor, doesn’t he? A turnover once more by Scotland’s captain is illegally obstructed, and the game is all-but done..

65'

Replacements for Scotland

Jamie Bhatti, Jonny Gray and Blair Kinghorn are on for Pierre Schoeman, Richie Gray and Stuart Hogg respectively.

68'

A single point in it once more

Finn Russell slots another penalty to chip away at the deficit. 23-22. A little over 10 minutes to go at Twickenham.

59'

Smith well marshalled by Sione

Marcus Smith tries to jolt through his way to the try line when well-set, but Sione Tuipulotu is more than his match, tucking the England 10 into touch. Scotland clear their lines and there are a couple of replacements to note: Jack Dempsey for Luke Crosbie in the back row and Simon Berghan is on at tighthead for WP Nel.

60'

Fraser Brown on at hooker for George Turner, who put in a huge shift.

71'

Huge turnover!

Just when England looked like they had serious numbers, they’re penalised for blocking at a ruck and Scotland breathe again. Finn Russell’s touch finder is literally centimetres from perfect, but alas the play comes back for a home line-out on halfway.

75'

TRY SCOTLAND!

Would you even contemplate that?! Where to start here? Multiple phases, left to right and back again, featuring some frankly ludicrous handling from Fraser Brown, whose looping spin pass is tipped on by Richie Gray to Matt Fagerson and then Duhan is unleashed. The unstoppable force just will not relent and takes about three defenders with him en route to the line! Russell converts, Scotland lead 29-23!

60'

So close for Scotland!

It’s a terrific counter-attack from Scotland who, through Kyle Steyn’s break, lap up the pitch, Stuart Hogg whirring down the right-hand side, only for his pass back into Steyn to get knocked on. A quarter of this Calcutta Cup clash to go, and there’s no way of calling it.

43'

Twickenham purring

The cries of ‘Swing Low’ have started, which means the home support are expecting their side to now kick on in this. Scotland care not, though, and make severe inroads up the pitch amid the cacophony, only for Jamie Ritchie to take his eyes off a pass and allow England a scrum platform a few metres inside their own half.

64'

England lead to grows to four

Despite some excellent defence from Stuart Hogg, which threatened a turnover, Scotland are penalised by referee Paul Williams for using their hands in the resulting ruck. Farrell lands a second penalty goal to make it 23-19.

18:01

White wash

The moment Ben White went over for his second Calcutta Cup try.

41'

Second 40 is live

After everyone takes the chance to recover from what was a frenetic first half at Twickenham, Finn Russell gets us going again with England protecting the narrowest of cushions from their endeavours in the opening period. 13-12 with absolutely all to play for in the race to lift the Calcutta Cup.

52'

TRY SCOTLAND!

Hold your horses! Ben White, who scored on debut in this fixture a year ago, thinks on his feet at a ruck and spots a gap. The scrum-half nips through, checks his run perfectly, and Scotland have a third try! Russell clips over the conversion, and we’re back to a one-point affair at 20-19 to England.

29'

TRY SCOTLAND!

You cannot be Duhan that! Scotland’s gargantuan winger, Duhan van der Merwe, takes hold of the ball in a seemingly safe part of the pitch – 55 metres out. It matters not for the wrecking-ball, though, as he plots his belligerent way through the opposition, leaving white shirts in his wake as he barges over for a 15th international try! It’s really quite ridiculous stuff. Russell misses the extras but Scotland once more lead by seven at 5-12.

38'

Try England

Max Malins has his second of the afternoon, England patiently taking care of the ball and knowing that a gap will eventually appear. Lewis Ludlam is the man who puts Malins in for his brace, but Farrell’s conversion is again wide and Scotland remain two ahead as we approach half-time. 10-12.

45'

Scrum penalty England

After a brief break for running repairs, England’s heft takes its toll in the scrum, as they win a penalty for Scotland not pushing straight and therefore being overwhelmed. Richie Gray then pinged for not entering a maul fairly – Marcus Smith punts one into the danger zone..

48'

Try England

Ellis Genge goes over, but there’s a great deal of go-forward in the build-up, Alex Dombrandt in the thick of it. Farrell converts, and England lead 20-12.

17:20

Duhan what he does best

A 15th try for Scotland for Duhan van der Merwe, which ties him in 10th-place in the country’s all-time records, alongside Sean Maitland and 1990 Grand Slam hero Iwan Tukalo.

22'

England sense a try

Like an extremely amateur game of football, there’s a comedy of errors when Max Malins volleys the ball into the Scottish 22. Russell misses it, Hogg too, and England have a penalty advantage for offside in the ruck after. They decline the easy three and kick to touch..

17:06

Keeping up with the Joneses

A fifth try in this fixture for the prolific Huw Jones. It was his 13th for Scotland in what is only a 32nd international cap.

40'

A one-point Calcutta Cup game

After a fairly tentative first ten minutes, the 2023 edition of the Calcutta Cup burst into life when Huw Jones dotted down for his 13^th international try – and fifth in five against England – to give Scotland first blood, with Finn Russell converting.

Max Malins grabbed a brace for the hosts, sandwiched between a remarkable, bludgeoning run by Duhan van der Merwe which resulted in the giant winger’s 15^th Scotland try.

England took advantage of a late Scottish transgression at a ruck to take a 13-12 lead into the changing rooms, but it was a half packed with intrigue, incident and everything else you’d associate with the early acts of a Guinness Six Nations championship.

Smith’s probe relieves pressure on Scotland

Marcus Smith tries to force the issue with a grubber into the Scottish 22, but it goes too far and the visitors can clear by way of a goal-line drop-out. England hold all the territorial aces, but a neck roll from a white shirt allows Russell to land a beaut of a penalty clearance. Line-out to Scotland inside England’s half.

12'

Not sparks yet at Twickenham

The crowd are getting ever so slightly restless at watching a fair amount of kick-tennis in the opening quarter of this game. Neither side wants to offer up any opportunities to their opponents.

27'

Attacking platform for Scots

Maro Itoje not supporting his bodyweight, so Scotland earn a penalty and kick deep into English territory. A chance here for the visitors, but Finn Russell is gobbled up in the tackle as the hosts clear.

14'

Super turnover by Hogg

Stuart Hogg’s attempted clearance isn’t what he’d hoped for, but he makes huge amends in turning over the resulting attack by England debutant Ollie Hassell-Collins. Scotland very much on the attack now..

24'

Try England

Hard to argue with the finish, as Max Malins touches down as the ball hits the turf from Marcus Smith’s inch-perfect cross-field chip. England’s response to going behind is swift, and Owen Farrell fails to land the conversion to level things at 7-7, so Scotland continue to lead by a couple at Twickenham.

15'

TRY SCOTLAND!

Wow! From almost nowhere, Huw Jones carries from a long line-out throw. Scotland steady themselves and have a penalty advantage, from which point Sione Tuipulotu kicks a lovely ball through for a gleeful Huw Jones to fall upon! A fifth try against England in as many games for the Glasgow Warrior. Finn Russell converts, and Scotland lead 7-0 at Twickenham!