For the first time since 2020, the Calcutta Cup is back in English hands. This followed an intense match at Twickenham which saw England narrowly beat their historic rivals 16-15.
The game was off to a striking start with Scotland scoring a try just three minutes in. England retaliated with force, scoring a try through Tommy Freeman, but their narrow lead was overturned when Huw Jones dove over the line.
Scotland were certainly the stronger team in the first half, displaying both speed and momentum. They demonstrated their skill at finding space in the wide channels, exploiting gaps in the English defence and charging the ball down the left-hand side.
A burst of energy came at last for England with a break from Marcus Smith, but he failed to make it to the try line before being ploughed down by Duhan van der Merwe. Two penalties in the second half along with a defensive shift helped England grasp the lead.
Though they were looking strong, an incredible breakthrough from Stafford McDowall carried the ball to the 5m line with ease for Scotland, and van de Merwe scored what many assumed would be the winning try. Alas, Finn Russell missed his third conversion of the match, losing out as Twickenham erupted into cheers.
A number of refereeing decisions have raised eyebrows. Firstly, Freeman’s try has been called into question, with clips causing dispute over whether the ball was actually grounded. It seems Freeman himself was not overly convinced, stating in a post-match interview: “The referee awarded it – therefore I grounded it”.
Fin Smith’s penalty, awarded for the way in which Ben Curry was cleared from a ruck, has also been criticised, with Gregor Townsend stating: “I just don’t know how that’s a penalty.” While lifting a player out is permissible, the Scots proceeded to let go of Curry mid-air, which does seem like dangerous play.
Attention has also been brought to Maro Itoje who was caught off his feet, yet no penalty was awarded to Scotland. This has left many Scots feeling that they were robbed of a rightful win.
Scotland are now out of the running for the Six Nations title. England can still win, although they would need a lot to go in their favour over the next two rounds.
Image Credits: “Calcutta Cup, England vs Scotland” by JaCastro7 is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.