England’s brave new era runs up against Murrayfield ghosts

It was the pass that turned a defence inside out and twisted history upside down.

Back in 2018, Scotland hadn’t beaten England at home in a decade. It was 14 years since they had even scored a try at home against the neighbours.

Their longer-term record against England was yet more wretched – Scotland had won just three of the previous 29 meetings.

The oldest fixture in international rugby was showing its age. It had become tired.

And then Finn Russell threw that pass. Thirty-one minutes into the 2018 Calcutta Cup tie, as Scotland nursed a slender four-point lead, Russell slung a glorious, soaring, swooping torpedo of a pass which froze Jonathan Joseph, foxed Jonny May and freed Huw Jones on a gleeful gallop through the heart of England’s defence.

A few phases later Sean Maitland went over in the corner, belief burned bright and a new era had arrived.

Scotland won 25-13 that day. Ever since it has been England’s turn on the rough end of the rivalry. They have tasted victory twice in the last eight meetings.

What was once an annual gimme, is now a brutal benchmark which England have struggled to reach.

So, as soon as the Six Nations schedule was published, Saturday’s trip to Murrayfield looked like the pinch point which would make or break England’s title dreams.

This is an upwardly mobile England side who are too excited about the future to chew for long over the past.

They bounce north on the back of 12 straight victories and a blossoming strength in depth.

It was not long ago that England had a chronic lack of centres. Now, they can leave a fit-again Ollie Lawrence, once carved deep into every possible Steve Borthwick teamsheet, out of the matchday 23 without stirring much comment.

Joe Heyes has emerged as such a high-calibre tight-head prop that an injury to Will Stuart, who made similar strides last season, has been shrugged off.

Flanker Tom Curry, a big-match staple, is on the bench.

Options abound. Momentum gathers apace. But, quietly, there are doubts that only a Murrayfield victory will ease.

Because England’s winning streak started with some streaky wins.

Victory over France in round two of last year’s Six Nations was delivered, in part, by Gallic butterfingers.

The one-point win over Scotland a fortnight later would have been defeat had Russell nailed a final-play conversion shot.

After closing out that Six Nations campaign with wins over Italy and Wales, England, without 14 British and Irish Lions, impressed by beating Argentina twice on a two-Test tour.

But the Pumas, run ragged by the 12-month demands on their star players, were also at less than full strength.

Victory over New Zealand was the centrepiece of England’s autumn, but the subsequent sacking of Scott Robertson suggested that the All Blacks were not taking up tools with their usual gusto.

England’s current run has been built around Twickenham. Can they go on the road and break the hex that Scotland have held over them in recent years?

If not, back-to-back away trips to the Stade de France and Ellis Park to play France and South Africa in March and July respectively suddenly look a whole lot more daunting.

There are some relative Test rookies in their line-up. Henry Arundell is much improved in defence, but was barely tested against Wales last week. Tommy Freeman is learning on the job at centre, a potential opening that Sione Tuipulotu and Jones will attempt to exploit. Guy Pepper, eight caps deep, will be a target for wily opposite number Jamie Ritchie.

Elsewhere Luke Cowan-Dickie can wobble on the oche at line-out time, while England’s replacements did not accelerate away from Wales as Borthwick might have hoped, with the hosts shading the second half by a relatively narrow 19-7.

They are minor quibbles. Certainly in comparison to Scotland’s.

Gregor Townsend’s men were stung by a defeat by Italy that might signal the beginning of the end for both a coach and a generation of stellar players.

But, those happier, more distant memories are also still resident in their line-up.

Two names remain from the 23 who beat England eight years ago – Russell, who threw the pass, and Jones, who caught it.

England must break that link to the past.

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