LONDON — Scotland let go of the Calcutta Cup after a heart-stopping clash against England, falling short with a 16-15 defeat at Twickenham on Saturday. Finn Russell, who has been a standout performer in past encounters against England, missed a crucial conversion attempt with just 20 seconds remaining. The angled kick drifted about a meter away from the left post, sealing Scotland’s fate.
In a twist of irony, despite being outscored three tries to one, England managed to secure the win, adding to their momentum following a recent victory over France. This match also marked a significant achievement for England, reclaiming the Calcutta Cup from Scotland for the first time since 2020 and securing their first home win against their oldest rival since 2017. England’s next matches will have them facing Italy at home in two weeks before concluding their tournament in Wales.
“Our physical intensity had to improve, and it did in the second half,” stated England coach Steve Borthwick during a post-match interview with ITV. “Our bench made a substantial impact once again; it truly was a collective team effort. Although some moments were not our finest, the game certainly kept fans on the edge of their seats.”
Scotland’s hopes for the championship faded after suffering a second consecutive loss, marking the end of their longest winning streak over England that dated back to the late 19th and mid-20th centuries.
Throughout the match, Scotland struggled to secure a lead, with England not rising to the top until the 67th minute, following Marcus Smith’s second penalty that brought the score to 13-10. Shortly after, Fin Smith landed a massive penalty kick from halfway, extending the lead to 16-10 with just ten minutes remaining. This moment was celebrated by a noticeable display of excitement.
Scotland had opportunities to bounce back but often fell short of capitalizing, whether it was through self-sabotage or England’s commendable defensive efforts. At one point, captain Maro Itoje managed to snatch a ruck ball while impressively maintaining his balance.
In a dramatic turn in the 79th minute, Stafford McDowall utilized Tom Jordan’s inside pass and sprinted from halfway into England’s 22. Quick exchanges set winger Duhan van der Merwe in motion as he headed towards the try line, ultimately giving Russell a shot at the conversion that could have clinched the match. However, the attempt was unsuccessful.
“Finn played a crucial role in our three tries today,” observed Scotland coach Gregor Townsend. He acknowledged Russell’s history of scoring critical points in previous matches but admitted that the harsh reality was their defeat, which likely meant they were out of the championship race.
Despite facing adversity, Scotland initially enjoyed a strong start in the game. It only took Scotland’s backline 3.5 minutes to stun England when Van der Merwe sidestepped Ollie Lawrence, and with Blair Kinghorn’s support, Tom Jordan’s offload found scrumhalf Ben White for an unchallenged try, marking his third against England.
England quickly responded, showcasing their own power play. Winger Tommy Freeman barreled through three defenders to score beside the left post, maintaining his streak with a try in all three rounds of the tournament.
Scotland made an impressive comeback from a lineout, as Kyle Rowe transitioned from the wing, linking with Kinghorn and enabling Van der Merwe to assist center Huw Jones, who dashed to the left corner for a 10-7 lead within the first quarter. Jones’ sixth try against England tied the record for a Scottish player in this fixture, a mark dating back to 1871, until Van der Merwe added his seventh later on.
As the first half drew to a close, England nearly snagged the lead following a break orchestrated by Lawrence and Marcus Smith, but Lawrence’s attempt to link with Smith at the try line fell flat. Although Scotland dominated certain statistics, their inability to finish opportunities became a glaring issue in the second half, compounded by a decline in discipline, which saw them concede nine penalties after just four in the first half. Meanwhile, England was forced to tackle fiercely, amassing 194 tackles—more than double that of Scotland—and successfully thwarting several Scottish attacks.
Unlike Russell, the Smith brothers, Marcus and Fin, were flawless from the tee, emphasizing the importance of precision in high-stakes matches like this one.
