Scotland’s Six Nations campaign didn’t get off to the great start that they would have hoped for as they were destroyed in Wales. It was as bad of a performance that could ever have been rolled out by them, the Scots really missing the boat in all departments on the day. However, Gregor Townsend’s men showed great steel and character on the second weekend of the 2018 championships to go out and record a 32-26 victory at Murrayfield over the French.
Greig Laidlaw was dialled in with the boot, scoring eight kicks from eight in the match. But it was another match in which they gave up a host of chances and that’s 60 points across their opening two games that they have given up. Can the Scots raise their game even further to take on England on the weekend? Can their defence withstand the pressure that they know is going to come? The Scots are trialing the English by six points and the last time that they got their hands on the Calcutta Cup was back in 2008.
The Scottish are without a win win their last ten games against England now and really have to come up with something special, not only in terms of physicality but in creativity and finding a way to try and outhink the auld enemy. The win over the French on the second weekend of action will have restored belief that there are better times coming but still the Scots are heavy underdogs for the duel.
Scotland v England Six Nations Winner odds*
England 4/11, Scotland 12/5, Draw 25/1* (betting odds taken at 10:48 p.m. on February 19th, 2018)
England have won their opening two matches in their Six Nations title defence, having eased past Italy in their opener and then having produced a bit of nous to get past Welsh in a tight battle at Twickenham last weekend. The English do have a lot more quality in depth that they can call upon and those options that they have on the bench which can take to the pitch later in the game could be a big factor in the fixture, regardless of whether they are chasing the game or looking to close it out.
England have conceded just the 21 points in their two games so far, carrying a positive +37 points difference so far and they have produced nine tries to the there that Scotland have put up in the Championship so far.
Scotland v England Head to head
So it has been England who have been dominant in the head to head with the Scotland. England are on an eight-match winning streak against them and are unbeaten in ten (W9 D1). The last time that Scotland got a win on the board over the English was at Murrayfield in the 2008 championship. Four of the last wins that England have put on the board over Scotland have been by a margin of at least ten points. An England -6 handicap at 10/11 odds with Bet365* (betting odds taken at 10:48 p.m. on February 19th, 2018) has good appeal for the fixture.
Scotland v England Prediction
Ultimately the depth of England could be the telling factor. They showed against Wales that they can win those tight games and they will probably get a stern early challenge from the Scots at Murrayfield, who will be roared on by the home crowd. But England can weather that storm and as they are very strong in depth, the visitors have quality match winners that could just tip the balance in their favour.
