Gregor Townsend answers Courtney Lawes' Scotland-England question and plays up crowd

The head coach’s position has come under intense scrutiny following the defeat by Italy in Rome last weekend and Townsend admitted he and the team have left themselves open to criticism.

He described this Saturday’s Calcutta Cup clash as Scotland’s “biggest game of the season” and has made four changes for the visit of Steve Borthwick’s on-form side who have won 12 games on the bounce.

They all come in the pack, with Townsend keeping faith with the backline from Rome. It means there is no place for Duhan van der Merwe, who has scored five tries in seven games against England, or Blair Kinghorn, who has been released from the squad and could play for Toulouse against Stade Francais on Sunday.

Ewan Ashman, who has a neck injury, Pierre Schoeman, Grant Gilchrist and Matt Fagerson have all dropped out of the team which started against Italy. There is not a single Edinburgh player in the Scotland XV for the first time in 28 years.

Axe falls on long-serving Gilchrist

In their place come George Turner, who takes over at hooker from Ashman, Nathan McBeth, preferred at loosehead to Schoeman, Gregor Brown, selected ahead of Gilchrist at lock, and Jamie Ritchie, who comes in for Matt Fagerson in the back row. Schoeman and Matt Fagerson are named among the replacements but there is no place in the match-day 23 for the hugely experienced Gilchrist who won his 85th cap in Italy.

Dave Cherry is on the bench as replacement hooker, with Townsend again going with a five-three split of forwards and backs.

“It's huge,” said Townsend, when asked about the importance of Saturday. “It's our biggest game of the season, it always has been. It's even more important on the back of a defeat, a disappointing defeat. We know our supporters are behind us as they always are and we'll need their energy at the weekend.”

Response to Courtney Lawes

Courtney Lawes, the former England flanker, said this week that Scotland’s “obsession with England” holds them back, claiming they raise their game for this fixture more than any other.

Townsend was unapologetic about treating the Calcutta Cup with the respect it deserves but disagreed with Lawes’ assessment.

“To win a game like this you have to raise your game,” said the coach. “So we have. And we've raised it in other games. But this is one where we've been really proud of the performances over the years. Even last year [when England won 16-15 at Twickenham], I thought was arguably up there with the 2023 performance [when Scotland won away 29-23]. It's the best I've seen from the team. It didn't lead to a win. But we know what we need to do and it's being as accurate as possible, playing close to your best.

“He's got his opinion. He obviously wasn't at the All Blacks game or he wasn't at other games. We played very good rugby. We know we have to raise a game for this team like we have to raise a game for most teams now because they’re quality sides we’re up against in the Six Nations and the November Tests.”

Scotland have lost only two of eight Calcutta Cup matches under Townsend but the coach finds himself under enormous pressure going into Saturday’s renewal of the world’s oldest international fixture. The loss in Rome came hard on the heels of a disappointing autumn campaign which saw Scotland defeated by Argentina at Murrayfield after leading 21-0 with 23 minutes left. He admitted the results had not been good enough.

“If we take Tonga out [Scotland beat the islanders 56-0 in November], the last two performances or last two results against Italy and Argentina have been disappointing,” said Townsend. “It opens up opportunities for criticising the team, criticising the coach. I get that. It's not good enough from our perspective. We didn't win those games and we're hugely disappointed for our supporters. That's what we're working to rectify.”

Scotland team to play England

Guinness Men’s Six Nations, Murrayfield, Saturday, 4.40pm

Scotland: 15. Tom Jordan; 14. Kyle Steyn, 13. Huw Jones, 12. Sione Tuipulotu (capt), 11. Jamie Dobie; 10. Finn Russell (vice-capt), 9. Ben White; 1. Nathan McBeth, 2. George Turner, 3. Zander Fagerson, 4. Gregor Brown, 5. Scott Cummings, 6. Jamie Ritchie, 7. Rory Darge (vice-capt), 8. Jack Dempsey.

Replacements: 16. Dave Cherry, 17. Pierre Schoeman, 18. Elliot Millar Mills, 19. Max Williamson, 20. Matt Fagerson, 21. George Horne, 22. Adam Hastings, 23. Darcy Graham.

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