England 23-29 Scotland LIVE! Six Nations 2023 result, match stream, reaction and rugby updates today

England vs Scotland LIVE!

The Steve Borthwick era began with agonising defeat in a Calcutta Cup classic in the Six Nations at Twickenham. Duhan van der Merwe’s late try and a last-ditch defensive stand was enough for Scotland to win the old trophy for the third year in a row for the first time in more than half a century.

Before 2021, the Scots had not won at English HQ for some 38 years, but now have back-to-back victories here after Huw Jones got their first score - his fifth in five games against England - after a cagey opening. Van der Merwe also registered an initial stunning solo try in an electric firat half, but twice England hit back through Saracens wing Max Malins.

Ellis Genge and Ben White also exchanged quick-fire tries before the winning effort from Van der Merwe condemned Borthwick to a disappointing loss in his first game since succeeding Eddie Jones in December. Follow England vs Scotland reaction live below, featuring expert analysis from Nick Purewal at Twickenham.

England vs Scotland highlights

• TRY! Van der Merwe cuts inside for decisive score

• TRY! White darts in to reduce lead to one point

• TRY! Genge crashes over from close range

• TRY! Malins touches down second score

• TRY! Van der Merwe with sensational solo effort

• TRY! Malins gets first points of Borthwick era

• TRY! Jones makes it five in five in Calcutta Cup

England player ratings

19:51 , George Flood

Replacements

Mako Vunipola (for Genge, 60’) 7

One big scrum not quite enough to carry England home.

Dan Cole (for Sinckler, 60’) 7

Showed all his set-piece power in that massive scrum and definitely deserves to be back.

Nick Isiekwe (for Curry, 60’) 6

Could not quite man the tiller sharply enough to stop Scotland edging away.

Ben Earl (for Dombrandt, 55’) 6

Has all the qualities to excel at Test level but England need to find a niche for him.

Ben Youngs (for Van Poortvliet, 60’) 6

Was on the field to edge England home but could not quite manage it.

Ollie Lawrence (for Marchant, 75’) 6

Had preciously little chance to shine.

Anthony Watson (for Hassell-Collins, 64’) 6

Almost cut away on one ball carry. Short-lived showing here could well lead to more action as he continues injury comeback.

England player ratings

19:50 , George Flood

Forwards

Ellis Genge 8

Capped a resurgent performance with a well-taken try. Carried more ball than any other England player in his hour on the field.

Jamie George 7

A more-than solid showing from the Saracens man only just back from concussion.

Kyle Sinckler 8

Promised to deliver for the supporters and did exactly that, getting to grips with the scrum and producing a host of vital touches in the loose.

Maro Itoje 7

Put himself about well but still the feeling is that he has another gear to reach previous heights.

Ollie Chessum 7

A very encouraging showing from the Leicester man. Just needs a bit more of a streetwise edge, but that only mirrors the whole team.

Lewis Ludlam 7

Big engine, big heart, decent performance. England still need to tie everything together though.

Ben Curry 6

Missed tackle for Ben White try proved costly in an otherwise very solid effort.

Alex Dombrandt 7

Grew into the game and delivered a try-creating carry towards the end of a hugely promsing shift.

England player ratings

19:49 , George Flood

Backs

Freddie Steward 6

Fine as ever under the high ball and attacked with purpose, but too loose in defence.

Max Malins 7

Took his double with aplomb and threatened in attack, but again left a lot to be desired off the ball.

Joe Marchant 6

Some fine touches when England were on the front foot, though failed to build a centre pairing in defence with Farrell.

Owen Farrell (c) 7

Looked far better than in the autumn in so many ways, but still struggled for defensive alignment.

Ollie Hassell-Collins 6

The London Irish wing had precious little chance to cut loose but acquitted himself solidly enough on debut barring one error.

Marcus Smith 7

Took so many of the right options but one or two in the key final moments let him down. Still plenty of promise.

Jack van Poortvliet 7

Moved England around well for the most part and in attack showed exactly how much influence he can exert in the Test arena.

Nick Purewal’s match report

19:46 , George Flood

Duhan van der Merwe stepped off his wing, inside Marcus Smith, Owen Farrell and Max Malins, and sealed Scotland’s first Calcutta Cup treble in 51 years.

The Lions wing’s second try handed a dagger blow ending to Steve Borthwick’s first match at the England helm, as Scotland triumphed 29-23 at Twickenham to open the Six Nations in some style.

Malins claimed his first two England tries, with Ellis Genge also crossing as Borthwick got the Red Rose attack firing and then some.

England’s defence simply proved too leaky, too often, with Huw Jones and London Irish’s Ben White also claiming scores for the jubilant Scots.

Gregor Townsend’s men delivered three Calcutta Cup wins in a row over the Auld Enemy for the first time since 1972, leaving Borthwick and company as stunned as they were shattered.

Read Nick Purewal’s match report in full here

Gregor Townsend reaction

19:43 , George Flood

“Hugely proud. I don’t know if it’s this fixture, but it got me emotional at the end,” the Scotland coach told BBC Radio Scotland.

“To see the way the players came back, in a venue we struggled for a lot of occasions, shows what a team we have. We weren’t at our best today.

“The game needed to break out, and it wasn’t until the last 20 minutes where we started to force the issue in a positive way and move the ball to edges - that was great to see.

“To win from behind, when you’ve only got five minutes, to score such a good try makes it all the more special.”

Owen Farrell reaction

19:02 , George Flood

England’s captain speaking to ITV...

“We started 11 days ago. There has been massive improvement and I thought we did it in large parts. There is some stuff we need to get better at but we will look at it,” Farrell said.

“For now, we will give credit to Scotland for sticking at it like they did. They played well and scored that try in the end but it never felt like we went away, we caused them some problems and we’ll make sure we build on it.

“The thing we were gong to do, regardless of the result, was get better and we will do that. There were blips but it felt like we had good energy and were in the fight all the way through.”

Van der Merwe reaction

19:01 , George Flood

Scotland’s match-winner speaking to ITV...

“After the first half, we knew we had more in us and came out for the second half with a bang and managed to get the win so we are buzzing,” said Van der Merwe.

“They scored quite early and we knew we had to stay in the fight and we got some points on the board and responded. As a winger you don’t get a lot of opportunities so I needed to take them.

“I was quite surprised how I got my first but I will take that one all day long. We spoke about getting our first win of the Six Nations and next week we need to take some confidence from that.”

19:00 , George Flood

Contrasting emotions at Twickenham as Scotland lift the Calcutta Cup once again, but England go back to the drawing board...

18:44 , George Flood

Scotland’s jubilant players celebrate with the Calcutta Cup collected by captain Jamie Ritchie.

It’s the first time they’ve won it three years in a row for more than half a century - since 1972.

Some achievement from Gregor Townsend’s men.

18:37 , George Flood

Scotland’s fourth win in six in Calcutta Cup fixtures.

They have dominated this game in recent years.

Full-time

18:31 , George Flood

England 23-29 Scotland

Defeat for Steve Borthwick in his first game in charge of England thanks to those late Van der Merwe heroics.

Scotland retain the Calcutta Cup, winning it for the third year in a row.

They had not won at Twickenham for 38 years before 2021 - they now have two in quick succession.

Brilliant game.

18:30 , George Flood

80 mins: England are crashing through the phases in the Scottish 22 but it’s stout defending and captain Ritchie makes the most important defensive play of the game.

The final whistle sounds!

18:29 , George Flood

78 mins: Ollie Lawrence is on for Marchant in the England midfield.

18:28 , George Flood

78 mins: Some bulldozing carries from England and they get the breakdown penalty with time slipping away.

Farrell kicks for the lineout. They need to make this work.

TRY! England 23-29 Scotland | Duhan van der Merwe 75’

18:25 , George Flood

75 mins: Is that the score that condemns Steve Borthwick to defeat in his first match in charge of England?

Another sublime try - and a bonus point for Scotland. Russell converts! The lead is six with time running out.

It was great from Scotland, with Steyn making inroads down the right and narrowing the defence before they moved it quickly back left.

England were exposed in defence and Van der Merwe cut inside Smith and Farrell off the left wing before scoring with Malins on his back.

Twickenham silenced.

Nick Purewal at Twickenham

18:24 , George Flood

England are dangerous every time they get the ball, and keep it. The cute dinks and grubbers are not quite coming off now, and into the final throes here, Borthwick’s men would be best served by turning the screw through phase on phase.

18:22 , George Flood

71 mins: Thrilling stuff again at Twickenham as England look to pile on the pressure with enticing kicks deep inside the 22.

Russell just manages to clear in the nick of time!

Back come England with menace through Malins, who is hunting a hat-trick.

But eventually they are penalised for sealing off and Scotland can clear.

18:20 , George Flood

69 mins: Jamie Bhatti, Jonny Gray and George Horne replace Schoeman, Gilchrist and White for Scotland.

Anthony Watson is also back in an England shirt. He replaces debutant Hassell-Collins.

PENALTY! England 23-22 Scotland | Finn Russell 68'

18:18 , George Flood

68 mins: No mistake from Russell from the tee.

Back to a one-point game as we prepare to enter the final 10 minutes.

A grandstand finish in store at Twickenham...

18:17 , George Flood

67 mins: Blair Kinghorn replaces Hogg, who hasn’t had much rugby lately due to injury.

We should note that Ben Youngs replaced Van Poortvliet for England a little earlier as well.

18:16 , George Flood

66 mins: Earl gives away a penalty as Scotland boom forward into touch.

They are far from done here.

There’s a free play with penalty advantage and Steyn just can’t haul in a clever diagonal kick from Russell.

So close to a fourth try that would have given them the lead back.

Nick Purewal at Twickenham

18:14 , George Flood

Dan Cole’s first act after three years out of Test rugby was to demolish the Scotland scrum. England fully on top in the set-piece now and aiming to press home their general advantage.

PENALTY! England 23-19 Scotland | Owen Farrell 65'

18:13 , George Flood

65 mins: England’s latest attack stalls but there are Scottish hands in the ruck. Matt Fagerson.

Farrell, with his head bandaged and white shirt stained with blood from an earlier wound, points to the posts.

And the kick splits the uprights. England’s lead back out to four points with 15 minutes left to play.

18:11 , George Flood

62 mins: England change both props with Mako Vunipola and Dan Cole on for Genge and Sinckler.

Isiekwe also on for Curry.

The forward changes pay off almost instantly with a terrific scrum effort led by 35-year-old tighthead Cole, who has not played for England since 2019.

Watch: White hits straight back with opportunistic try

18:10 , George Flood

Watch: Genge bulldozes over third England try

18:10 , George Flood

18:09 , George Flood

60 mins: Both of these sides have looked so dangerous with ball in hand tonight.

Tremendous from Scotland as they break from deep in wonderful fashion.

They look likely to score, but Hogg’s pass doesn’t find its preferred target and bounces before being scooped up by Tuipulotu.

It ends up being forward and England have a reprieve.

18:07 , George Flood

58 mins: An expert lineout over the top and exit up to the 10-metre line from Scotland, who certainly don’t lack confidence.

Ben Earl is on for England, in place of Dombrandt.

Two changes in the Scotland front row with Brown and Berghan on for Turner and Nel.

Dempsey on for Crosby in the back row too.

18:06 , George Flood

57 mins: Fine handling from England and Van Poortvliet bursts through, eventually offloading to Chessum.

The versatile Leicester lock is brought down and England end up sending the ball left, where Smith tries to take on Tuipulotu with Marchant outside but is driven into touch.

18:01 , George Flood

54 mins: Borthwick looked furious up in the box after that White score.

So poor from England.

A mistake from Van Poortvliet there is unlikely to improve his mood as Hogg goes to gather behind the Scotland try line but the ball takes a bounce and goes behind.

TRY! England 20-19 Scotland | Ben White 52’

17:57 , George Flood

52 mins: THIS GAME!

An England penalty straight from kick-off gives Scotland good field position.

England’s defence initially stand up, but Curry races out and the ball bobbles around for White, who eventually manages to gather and dart through for a very sloppy score from England’s point of view.

The London Irish scrum-half was capped for England at Under-20 level of course.

The conversion goes through. Back to a one-point affair!

Nick Purewal at Twickenham

17:56 , George Flood

A massive scrum penalty and a lineout penalty put England in range. Then Alex Dombrandt cut a devastating line off Ben Curry at the lineout tail, and the hosts were in again.

Ellis Genge finished off the move, as Borthwick’s adjustments continued to bear fruit.

TRY! England 20-12 Scotland | Ellis Genge 49’

17:53 , George Flood

49 mins: England really in business now!

Curry goes quickly from the back of the lineout maul and feeds Dombrandt, who hits the angle beautifully.

More strong carrying from England in the 22 as they get quick ruck ball.

Vice-captain Genge has one initial carry, then pops up again to finish off the move after Curry had almost made it.

Farrell makes the conversion. Three tries for England now and an eight-point lead with half an hour to play.

17:53 , George Flood

47 mins: England attack with another penalty advantage, with play quickly brought back for Richie Gray’s illegal entry at the maul following the lineout.

Sinckler made sure that Kiwi referee Paul Williams didn’t miss that infringement!

17:51 , George Flood

46 mins: England gain their first scrum penalty of the evening as Scotland are penalised for not pushing straight.

17:50 , George Flood

45 mins: England’s tackling and line speed is fairly ferocious here after they were cut open twice in the first half.

Scotland are forced back after the lineout before captain Ritchie can’t hold Russell’s kick as the fly-half looks to exploit the available space.

Knock-on, scrum white.

17:48 , George Flood

44 mins: The towering Chessum is whistled at the breakdown and Scotland kick for a lineout on the edge of the England 22.

Momentum continuing to switch back and forth at Twickenham.

17:47 , George Flood

42 mins: England straight on the front foot in the second half, carrying strongly again with a penalty advantage.

But Farrell’s kick loses that advantage and Russell clears into touch to briefly relieve some of that pressure.

Good tempo and intensity from England after the break.

17:44 , George Flood

Finn Russell kicks to get us back underway at Twickenham.

More of the same please fellas...

17:41 , George Flood

It’ll inevitably get overshadowed by a Van der Merwe try that you will be seeing for some time, but Huw Jones is a constant thorn in England’s side.

Jones over Chris Harris at outside centre had been a bold call from Gregor Townsend.

Watch: Malins scores second try of first half

17:37 , George Flood

Half-time

17:31 , George Flood

England 13-12 Scotland

A cagey start to the Borthwick reign, until a chaotic 20-minute stretch at Twickenham.

Scotland score twice through Jones and a stunning solo effort from Van der Merwe, only for Malins to hit back both times.

Farrell inaccurate with his conversions but his first penalty has England ahead at half-time.

PENALTY! England 13-12 Scotland | Owen Farrell 43'

17:30 , George Flood

43 mins: England on the attack again with the clock in the red after a key Scottish penalty.

There’s then another as WP Nel has his hands in the ruck.

England opt to kick to end the half and Farrell squeezes through his first successful kick of the evening.

England head in at the interval with their first lead of the day. A truly breathless 20 minutes or so there. Wow.

Nick Purewal at Twickenham

17:27 , George Flood

England’s second try is a major triumph of the new regime. Farrell’s inside ball to Marchant on a cutback line outfoxed Scotland to the point that from the very next phase, putting the ball through the hands was enough to send Malins into the corner.

TRY! England 10-12 Scotland | Max Malins 38'

17:24 , George Flood

38 mins: Two for Malins as England hit back again!

Great work from Dombrandt and Marchant to narrow the Scottish defence.

England keep the ball moving quickly and recycle it accurately through the hands to exploit the space out right.

Great handling from the likes of Curry and Genge. Ludlam then ends up teeing up Malins, who sprints around to touch down.

That’s another miss from Farrell, though. 0 from 2. Scotland still lead by two points with half-time approaching.

A cagey start has given way to a stunning opening period!

Watch: Van der Merwe scores stunning solo try

17:22 , George Flood

Feast your eyes on this. Fantastic.

17:21 , George Flood

34 mins: A couple of penalties given away by Genge now, the latest offers Scotland another chance to clear into touch.

17:21 , George Flood

32 mins: No shortage of effort from England here but they are being let down by some sloppy errors and a lack of execution.

The Twickenham crowd has quietened notably.

That was stunning from Van der Merwe of course, but Borthwick will be very concerned by how easily his defence have been sliced open on two separate occasions.

Watch: Malins scores first try of Borthwick era

17:19 , George Flood

Nick Purewal at Twickenham

17:18 , George Flood

Soft defence but a stunning score for Van der Merwe, who beats five England defenders en route to Scotland’s second try.

Farrell and Marchant looked every inch the new centre pairing as Van der Merwe strolled through the middle, but the other four missed tackles were hardly forgivable either.

TRY! England 5-12 Scotland | Duhan van der Merwe 28'

17:14 , George Flood

28 mins: WOW!

Absolutely unreal from Van der Merwe, who turns on the jets after receiving a kick some 55 metres out and slices through the England defence like a hot knife through butter.

A glorious combination of sheer speed, anticipation and magic inside steps to shrug off about five tackle attempts.

One of the finest tries you will likely ever see. Terrific!

Russell misses the conversion. Scotland up 12-5.

TRY! England 5-7 Scotland | Max Malins 24'

17:10 , George Flood

24 mins: What a try - the first of the Borthwick reign!

England bash away against that resilient Scotland defensive line through some 14 phases, until a moment of inspiration from Smith sees him aim a brilliant diagonal kick behind the line.

Malins races in unopposed off the right flank to catch and touch down perfectly. Absolutely superb.

Farrell pushes his conversion attempt wide of the left-hand post. Scotland still lead.

Watch: Huw Jones scores against England... again

17:09 , George Flood

17:08 , George Flood

21 mins: England are pushing hard to hit back now as Malins gathers his own unconventional low volley after a lucky bounce that deceives Russell.

Chessum then barrels forward down the left but Scotland stand firm.

England have an advantage as they move it left but can’t pull it off and we’ll come back for the penalty.

They will take the tap and go rather than kick the three points...

17:06 , George Flood

19 mins: Just the one penalty conceded by Scotland in nearly 20 minutes at Twickenham.

For all their promising desire to get quick ball and push the tempo, there have been some worrying signs from England in defence early on.

The lineout over the top shouldn’t cause that much disarray, surely.

Nick Purewal at Twickenham

17:04 , George Flood

Three lapses and England leak the first try of the game. Hassell-Collins should have punted but carried into contact, was isolated and turned over.

Huw Jones scythed through a misaligned midfield off the penalty lineout. And then Tuipulotu’s cute grubber turned England on the line, allowing Jones to dot down all but unopposed.

TRY! England 0-7 Scotland | Huw Jones 15'

17:03 , George Flood

15 mins: Jones touches down after a terrific little kick beyond the line by Tuipulotu.

This wasn’t in the script for England, who were cut open too easily after that lineout ploy.

An easy conversion makes it 7-0 to the visitors after quarter of an hour.

Jones was a big selection decision by Townsend and he scores his fifth try in five games against England.

17:00 , George Flood

15 mins: In a flash Scotland are deep inside the England 22 after a clever lineout over the top, with Jones leading the break and further metres made by Van der Merwe.

A huge hole in the middle of the English defence and they are in major trouble here...

16:59 , George Flood

13 mins: The first chance for debutant Hassell-Collins to run into space after an iffy Hogg kick, but the former Scotland captain makes up for it by tackling the London Irish wing and forcing him to hold on at the breakdown.

16:59 , George Flood

12 mins: It’s a breathless opening as all these big kicks are staying in play.

It’s one end to the other in energy-sapping fashion, players racing one way and then the other, then back again.

Nothing finding touch.

16:57 , George Flood

11 mins: It’s cagey stuff at Twickenham just at the moment, with a couple of loose errors and Russell engaging in a booming kicking battle with England.

Nick Purewal at Twickenham

16:56 , George Flood

The difference is palpable, just minutes in. Suddenly England are generating the kind of quick ball Eddie Jones’ Red Rose team simply could not in the autumn that cost the Australian his job.

Cut out the unforced errors and the hosts can cause real problems.

16:55 , George Flood

9 mins: Scotland are under a lot of pressure early on here, with England persistently keen to force the pace and get quick ball.

But there’s a neck roll at the ruck from Steward on Huw Jones that stifles their momentum and allows Scotland to clear.

16:54 , George Flood

7 mins: Russell is nailed by Ludlam after having to take a step back to pick up Malins’ searching kick.

He’ll have felt that.

Some big physicality early on here.

Nick Purewal at Twickenham

16:52 , George Flood

Freddie Steward ploughed through Sione Tuipulotu like the Scotland centre was not even there on an early carry. A major plus point for England on counter-attack.

Two small knock-ons have hampered a solid start from England.

16:52 , George Flood

6 mins: Scotland with the put-in at another scrum after a second England knock-on.

Russell with a few tricks up his sleeve early doors for the visitors.

Not coming off quite yet, but he’s always such a menace. England have to keep a lid on the talismanic fly-half.

16:50 , George Flood

4 mins: A decent move off the scrum from Scotland, with half-back pairing White and Russell combining to tee up Jones, who puts boot to ball.

Back come England and Steward has just knocked Tuipulotu off his feet!

No easy task, that!

16:48 , George Flood

2 mins: A fast start for England as they set out their stall early, attacking on the front foot and making use of a couple of quick rucks.

The maverick Russell escapes from an awkward situation, but Scotland can’t effectively clear their lines with the boot.

We eventually reach the first scrum of the game, which the Scots will direct after an England knock-on in midfield.

Nick Purewal at Twickenham

16:47 , George Flood

Just 48 days into Steve Borthwick’s England tenure, the new head coach will send a revamped squad into Calcutta Cup action at Twickenham.

Smith-Farrell stays at 10-12, but Manu Tuilagi is out, replaced by Joe Marchant at outside centre. A big day for debutant wing Ollie Hassell-Collins and five-cap lock Ollie Chessum.

KICK-OFF

16:47 , George Flood

Underway at Twickenham! Can England start a new era by regaining the Calcutta Cup?

16:44 , George Flood

Stirring stuff as always.

Kick-off is imminent at Twickenham!

16:42 , George Flood

A minute’s applause before the national anthems as we remember the likes of late greats Doddie Weir and David Duckham.

Now ‘God Save the King’ will be sung in the Six Nations for the first time, after ‘Flower of Scotland’.

16:40 , George Flood

Here come the teams at Twickenham after the usual pre-match light show!

Owen Farrell and Jamie Ritchie lead our their respective teams for the Calcutta Cup.

A great atmosphere at England HQ. Plenty of anticipation to see what this new regime can produce.

Standard Sport’s Nick Purewal at Twickenham

16:35 , George Flood

Standard Sport’s rugby correspondent Nick Purewal offers his pre-match thoughts from Twickenham, where a new era is set to begin!

16:27 , George Flood

Jamie George practicising his lineout throws ahead of kick-off at Twickenham.

Steve Borthwick will be very grateful to have him available with hooker rivals Luke Cowan-Dickie, George McGuigan and Jack Singleton all out injured.

George suffered a concussion playing for Saracens against Edinburgh in the Champions Cup a fortnight ago, but thankfully he passed all the necessary return-to-play protocols.

How the teams look

16:18 , George Flood

A reminder of the teams with half an hour to go until kick-off.

England XV: Steward; Malins, Marchant, Farrell (c), Hassell-Collins; Smith, Van Poortvliet; Genge, George, Sinckler, Itoje, Chessum, Ludlam, B Curry, Dombrandt.

Replacements: Walker, M Vunipola, Cole, Isiekwe, Earl, Youngs, Lawrence, Watson.

Scotland XV: Hogg; Steyn, Jones, Tuipulotu, Van der Merwe; Russell, White; Schoeman, Turner, Nel; R Gray, Gilchrist; Ritchie (c), Crosbie, M Fagerson.

Replacements: Brown, Bhatti, Berghan, J Gray, Dempsey, Horne, Kinghorn, Harris.

16:09 , Alex Young

It’s all over in Cardiff as Ireland deny Warren Gatland a dream start to his second stint with Wales, running out 34-10 winners.

Throwback: A stunning draw in 2019

16:05 , Marc Mayo

Behind the scenes with the visitors

16:01 , Marc Mayo

Lawrence Dallaglio picks out Alex Dombrandt

15:58 , Marc Mayo

England’s difficulty in finding a long-term No8 could be a step closer to ending today.

That is according to Lawrence Dallaglio, who hopes the Red Rose will be able to rely on Alex Dombrandt if he can produce a performance today.

“It feels like we're continually talking about the No8 merry-go-round with England," Dallaglio told Standard Sport. “It's been batted backwards and forwards for quite some time now.

“Billy Vunipola went through a purple patch, had injuries, had found form again but they have gone elsewhere in Dombrandt and Simmons in the squad.

“So it seems it's a position that's been doing the rounds. As good as all those players are, through injury or form or erratic selection, none of them have been able to nail it down, so it's a great opportunity for that to happen now.”

Throwback: One for the Scots

15:52 , Marc Mayo

Sir Clive Woodward optimistic for good Six Nations

15:48 , Marc Mayo

Despite off-field issues at a number of associations, Sir Clive Woodward is hopeful for the on-pitch action taking centre stage from now on.

He wrote for the Mail: “Rugby needs a great Six Nations now more than ever. Fortunately, I think we’ll get exactly that. Most other sports would die for the fervent following the Six Nations receives. This is a brilliant time of year for rugby supporters.

“Make no mistake, apart from the World Cup — which only takes place every four years — the Six Nations is the best rugby tournament in the world. It is a bit like Wimbledon. Every summer, tennis becomes incredibly popular for a two-week period because of the action in SW19.

“With the Six Nations, for the next two months or so, rugby is front and centre in the news and a big talking point among the general public, when at other times of the year it is not.

“The sport has to embrace that and deliver a championship which shows just how good rugby can be. I want to see great tries, attacking play and new heroes created.”

Countdown to kick-off

15:44 , Marc Mayo

One hour until we get underway at Twickenham!

Scotland out to repeat historic win

15:40 , Marc Mayo

Another famous win for Scotland is on the agenda today and their 11-6 win in west London two years ago serves as part of their inspiration.

That was their first Calcutta Cup victory at Twickenham since 1983.

“[Victory in] 2021 meant so much,” caoch Gregor Townsend stated ahead of the game.

“We got sent videos of people at home, that had been confined to their houses for a while during lockdown, and that gave them a massive lift. We’re here to win, we’re here to inspire our nation and make them proud.”

Over in Cardiff...

15:35 , Marc Mayo

A bit of hope for Wales in the other Six Nations game of the day, Liam Williams crossing with around 25 minutes left against Ireland.

Follow that game live here!

Players greeted by big crowd

15:33 , Marc Mayo

Of course, it’s a sell-out in TW2 today and plenty were there to greet the two sides of the bus.

Steve Borthwick tips Ollie Chessum for success

15:27 , Marc Mayo

Ollie Chessum will be out to impress at centre with the 22-year-old praised by Steve Borthwick when selected for the XV.

“Ollie is a fantastic young man who has grown immensely,” he told reporters during the week

“His ability to play across the second row and six... his ability to cover the ground, at the line-out... the props telling me how hard he works at the scrum.

“That’s what the props want. He’s got an exciting future.”

England in the house

15:20 , Marc Mayo

Might want to have a look at that bus’ exhaust, mind...

Missing men

15:17 , Alex Young

The pre-match England team news talk has been centered largely around debutant Hassell-Collings, but it’s worth remembering just who new head coach Borthwick is missing for the game.

Luke Cowan-Dickie, Courtney Lawes, Henry Slade, Tom Curry, Elliot Daly and Dan Kelly are all unavailable, while Manu Tuilagi has not been selected. It is the first time in an age, perhaps ever, that Tuiliagi has been overlooked when fit,

A carpet of a pitch set up at Twickers

15:14 , Marc Mayo

Borthwick hails Tuilagi

15:07 , Matt Verri

Steve Borthwick omitted Manu Tuilagi from his first England squad – then shook the powerhouse centre by the hand and told him he still has a Test future.

Tuilagi finds himself in uncharted territory ahead of Borthwick’s first Test at the helm – on the outside looking in.

The Samoa-born midfielder has been left out of an England team when fully fit and available for the first time in his lengthy Test career, ahead of Saturday’s Six Nations opener against Scotland at Twickenham.

When head coach Borthwick told Tuilagi he would miss out this weekend, the new England boss revealed the unfussy centre accepted the news, rolled up his sleeves and went straight back to work.

“When we spoke, I told him what we’d decided selection-wise and why, and we shook hands and then he went and trained really hard,” said Borthwick. “That reaction is testimony to him and his character.”

And some of Scotland’s key men...

14:55 , Matt Verri

Finn Russell: The livewire fly-half that Townsend would have loved to play alongside, but at times leaves his head coach tearing out his hair. Has patched up a previously rocky relationship with Townsend, and will trade Paris’ Racing 92 for Bath after the World Cup.

Stuart Hogg: The Exeter full-back is at his best scything through midfield on clean breaks, or offering up his services as an auxiliary playmaker. A fine counter-attacker too, the 30-year-old remains a vital component of Townsend’s side.

WP Nel: The epitome of scrum cornerstone, the 36-year-old exploits his compact, powerful frame to full effect to lock out the Scottish set-piece.

England ones to watch...

14:49 , Matt Verri

Ollie Hassell-Collins: Pacy London Irish finisher will make his Test debut in Saturday’s Calcutta Cup clash against Scotland at Twickenham. A livewire talent in attack, powerful in defence and strong under the high ball, the 24-year-old also boasts a smart kicking game. A major talent full of potential.

Freddie Steward: Leicester full-back has developed into one of the globe’s best high-ball fielders, can cut an attack through power, pace and footwork and knows how to finish. Absolutely crucial to England’s new set-up.

Ellis Genge: The snarling loosehead prop is officially one of two vice-captains under Borthwick. Genge led Borthwick’s Leicester to last term’s Premiership title before returning to hometown club Bristol. If the “Baby Rhino” is on the charge across the gainline, England will be doing something right.

Borthwick era well underway

14:45 , Matt Verri

Steve Borthwick’s England tenure has begun with a dismantling operation as diplomatic as it is devastating.

The new England head coach has torn down predecessor Eddie Jones’s set-up, from personnel to tactical planning. In less than seven weeks, he has studied, critiqued, then rewritten England’s playbook, repatriated a host of players summarily exiled under Jones and cast out a few contrived ruses, too.

Jones revelled in renaming England’s replacements “finishers”. Borthwick ditched the description on Thursday, in announcing his first match squad. Replacements are back, along with common sense: round pegs for round holes and an impressive equation of straight shooting, minus any withering undertone.

Spoken by anyone else, Borthwick’s dismissal of the term “finishers” would have been immediately described as a coldly-delivered barb.

“I don’t get too obsessed with things that I don’t think add value,” said Borthwick, when pressed on why he had reverted to replacements.

Read Nick Purewal’s full preview here

Standard Sport prediction

14:37 , Matt Verri

A relative lack of preparation time and no shortage of injuries mean this is not the XV that Borthwick would ideally wanted to have picked, with the Smith-Farrell partnership proving hugely divisive having failed to fire again during a dreary autumn.

Questions will also be asked of that back-row combination given the sheer depth available. Hassell-Collins, however, offers real pace, finishing and physicality out wide, while the likes of Malins, Van Poortvliet and the excellent Freddie Steward should help England play at pace.

There’s plenty of size and physicality in the pack, which should help the hosts to secure plenty of crucial front-foot ball across the game. However, a very intriguing Scotland team also has a nice blend of energy, ruggedness and power, which they will feel is enough to start the Six Nations with another bang.

England to win, by seven points.

Scotland lineup

14:31 , Matt Verri

For Scotland, there are a number of intriguing selections. Bath-bound superstar Russell will pull the strings from fly-half, with London Irish’s former England Under-20 international Ben White picked at 9 and Huw Jones lining up instead of Chris Harris outside influential Australian-born Glasgow team-mate Sione Tuipulotu in midfield. Kyle Steyn deputises for injured wing Darcy Graham, meanwhile.

Stuart Hogg is fit after a heel injury, with Duhan van der Merwe also ready following an ankle issue. Edinburgh’s Luke Crosbie earns only his third cap in the back row, though talismanic flanker Hamish Watson and key prop Zander Fagerson both miss out on the squad led by Jamie Ritchie and Grant Gilchrist.

There is also no Ali Price or Sean Maitland, with Blair Kinghorn only on the bench. George Horne backs up White instead of Price, who isn’t involved.

Scotland XV: Hogg; Steyn, Jones, Tuipulotu, Van der Merwe; Russell, White; Schoeman, Turner, Nel; R Gray, Gilchrist; Ritchie (c), Crosbie, M Fagerson.

Replacements: Brown, Bhatti, Berghan, J Gray, Dempsey, Horne, Kinghorn, Harris.

England lineup

14:27 , Matt Verri

Steve Borthwick’s first England lineup sees a debut for flying London Irish wing Ollie Hassell-Collins opposite Saracens’ Max Malins, while a glut of midfield injuries mean that the Marcus Smith-Owen Farrell axis at fly-half and inside centre is at least temporarily restored.

But it’s Joe Marchant who gets the nod outside them at 13, with Manu Tuilagi omitted completely from the squad while fully fit and healthy for the first time in his career.

Jack van Poortvliet will push the pace from scrum-half, while in the front row Jamie George is fit to start after passing the necessary return-to-play protocols after concussion.

The towering Ollie Chessum partners Maro Itoje in the second row, with Borthwick settling on a back-row trio of Lewis Ludlam, Ben Curry and Alex Dombrandt.

England XV: Steward; Malins, Marchant, Farrell (c), Hassell-Collins; Smith, Van Poortvliet; Genge, George, Sinckler, Itoje, Chessum, Ludlam, B Curry, Dombrandt.

Replacements: Walker, M Vunipola, Cole, Isiekwe, Earl, Youngs, Lawrence, Watson.

How to watch England vs Scotland

14:22 , Matt Verri

TV channel: In the UK, England vs Scotland is being broadcast live and free-to-air on ITV1, with coverage beginning at 4pm.

Live stream: Fans can also catch all the action live online via the ITVX app or ITV website.

LIVE coverage: You can follow the Calcutta Cup right here with us, featuring expert analysis from rugby correspondent Nick Purewal at Twickenham.

Good afternoon!

14:17 , Matt Verri

A new era dawns for England at Twickenham this afternoon.

Steve Borthwick takes charge for the first time in a Calcutta Cup showdown with Scotland to kick off a huge year with the Six Nations.

The former captain was poached from Leicester Tigers in December after England’s worst set of calendar-year results since 2008 in 2022 led to the end of Eddie Jones’ eventful seven-year tenure just months out from a World Cup.

Borthwick has a massive challenge on his hands to get things firing again quickly with that global tournament in France now just seven months away and Scotland will hope to spoil the party today.

Gregor Townsend’s side are chasing a third straight victory in this famous old fixture having not lost here since 2017, ending a 38-year run without a win at English HQ on their last visit in 2021. And few who witnessed it can forget that incredible 38-all draw in 2019.

Kick-off today is at 4:45pm GMT, so stay tuned for match build-up, all the latest team news and live game updates, with plenty of expert analysis from Standard Sport’s rugby correspondent Nick Purewal at Twickenham.