As England’s forwards gathered for their units meeting ahead of the Calcutta Cup, notebooks in hand, Steve Borthwick dropped a statistic that made them squirm.
He reminded them how they were shoved backwards by 7.1 metres at every maul last year. The sort of statistic that will act as a data-driven assault on the pride of the likes of Ellis Genge and Ben Earl.
Almost everywhere England’s players have turned, there have been reminders of Scotland’s recent dominance in the Calcutta Cup. Four years, four defeats. Four campaigns that have been haunted by the tartan terror of Finn Russell and Duhan van der Merwe.
England goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale was a guest at Pennyhill on Monday to watch training. Even without the abrasiveness of George Martin, who is on a modified schedule to manage a knee injury, Ramsdale witnessed sessions loaded with edge after the team sat through a series of video nasties.
‘We’ve watched the last two games we’ve played,’ said Earl. ‘This is a team that’s got the wood over us at the moment. It’s certainly not a record we want. It’s got a big-game feel to it and that more times than not has brought the best out of us. You watch one clip and that leads you on to thinking about another you were involved in.
‘Scotland at home in 2023 was a big turning point for me. I don’t think I was involved in the Six Nations again under Steve for the rest of that campaign. I was unfit, I didn’t know what it takes to become a top-class international rugby player, I didn’t know what it took to play under Steve.
Ben Earl has opened up on how much England want to stop their poor record against Scotland
Steve Borthwick’s stars were shoved backwards by 7.1 metres at every maul last year
Scotland have won the Calcutta Cup four times in a row despite their wider struggles
‘Not necessarily unfit in terms of physiologically, but “I’m shattered, can I keep going?” is a different mindset to “I’m shattered, I’ve emptied myself, I’ve got nothing left”. You’ve always got more. Steve is a big believer in the back-rowers being the ones that run the furthest, work the hardest.
‘You always think that until you get thrown into the Colosseum. It certainly felt that was a day for me that I learned the most.
Scotland come with a very smart game plan, they’ve got world-class players in a few positions and we’ve been poor. We’re not going to be short of motivation, that’s for sure.’
The performances have been fast and loose. Last year, England made 24 handling errors and conceded 22 turnovers. Van der Merwe’s hat-trick was offered up on a silver platter.
Do not be surprised to see Borthwick significantly tighten up his team’s approach at Twickenham this weekend. He may even open the door for the return of Freddie Steward, who was left out of last year’s Murrayfield edition in favour of George Furbank.
‘Being told that they mauled us for 7.1 metres per maul… that’s not a great stat for the forward pack, is it?’ added Earl. ‘When we attacked, we were passive. We played four passes when we could have played one. We passed instead of carried.
‘We gave them the kind of loose, turnover ball that Russell, Van der Merwe and their strike runners need. We played into their hands.
‘It was another lesson where we started the game well and tailed off. It was a turning point in our campaign last year.’
Scotland will look to extend their favourable record when the sides meet on Saturday
In the aftermath of last year’s Calcutta Cup, England’s players were called in for one of Borthwick’s most scathing debriefs to date. There was a deathly mood, players holding their notebooks in sweaty palms in fear of being shown up on the analysis screen.
Joe Marler, an England prop at the time, recalled: ‘There was a fair whack of silence and when you looked around the room you can hear the voices in the boys’ heads. We discussed the mental resilience of when you make a mistake, what do you do next? You can’t think, “I don’t want to put myself in that position in case I drop it again”.
‘You can’t hide at the bottom of a ruck because you don’t want to get in the defensive line in case you miss another tackle. You’re not going to last in Test rugby if you don’t want to put yourself out there.’
It has shaped England’s approach this week as they attempt to back up their victory over France.
Lions coach Andy Farrell will be watching and players are well aware that selection for the tour of Australia is on the line. Earl faces a fierce battle for a place in the back row, with Scotland’s Rory Darge among the leading challengers.
‘We have spoken about it,’ said Earl. ‘It’s naive not to. Everyone who’s been on a Lions tour says it’s a highlight of their career.
‘If your team does well in the Six Nations, a good chunk of you tend to go in the summer. If we all pull in that direction, we all benefit.
‘Our pack versus theirs is a nice narrative for us to go off, and we’ll certainly feed off that. It will be a good match-up. I’ve always found that the higher level of rugby, the simpler it becomes. You can have the game plan, but once you get under the lights at home it’s as gladiatorial as it gets.’
