It is large knockabout stuff, however it quite overestimates the size of the problem Scotland have confronted when taking part in towards England within the Townsend period. Frankly, England have not been all that good. They have been removed from the acid check of Scotland’s true value.
All of those Scotland victories – have been they as a result of the Scots raised their sport or as a result of England have been disorganised defensively, weak mentally and comparatively simple prey to some brilliance in Townsend’s backline?
Scotland have not gained something, Lawes is appropriate. England should not precisely dripping with silverware themselves. They’ve gained one Six Nations in that point. They’ve completed fifth within the desk extra usually than they’ve completed first.
France, Eire and Wales have all gained Grand Slams throughout that interval from 2017 since Townsend stepped up. England, for all their sources, have not gained a Slam in a decade and have gained solely two within the historical past of the Six Nations.
Prior to now eight Six Nations they’ve completed first as soon as, second twice, third twice, fourth as soon as and fifth twice. Beating England has not been akin to climbing Everest.
Possibly it is not about Scotland supposedly taking part in above themselves, as Lawes and others would argue. Possibly it has been extra about England not being adequate.
The concern for Scotland is that head coach Steve Borthwick has now cracked it. Twelve wins in a row, a nicely drilled crew in all departments, glorious leaders, a mighty bench – all of the impressions are that the foundations are stable, that the crew is much less vulnerable to the sort of chaos that Scotland will need to inflict on them on Saturday.
Murrayfield must be an enormous examination of their new discovered mettle, although. Tuipulotu shone a brilliant highlight on what he calls Scotland’s “desperation” forward of the Calcutta Cup.
