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Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Politics
- Scottish Sun
Our Auld Enemy rivalry will always be part of our DNA — but look to the US and Canada for the next great national drama
ZARA JANJUA Our Auld Enemy rivalry will always be part of our DNA — but look to the US and Canada for the next great national drama Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) WE Scots pride ourselves on being world-class grudge holders. For centuries, the English have been our go-to national frenemy — the original source of cultural, political and footie-based beef. But while we've been locked in this existential tug-of-war with England, another rivalry has been quietly gathering momentum across the Atlantic. 4 Scottish Sun columnist Zara Credit: The Sun 4 Our Auld Enemy rivalry with England will always be part of our DNA Credit: PA 4 Donald Trump with new Canadian PM Mark Carney Credit: AP 4 Matthew Tkachuk of Team USA fights with Brandon Hagel of Team Canada during the first period in the 4 Nations Face-Off game Credit: Getty And I hate to say it, but it might just outdo ours in both stakes and pettiness. I speak, of course, of Canada vs the United States — a feud with the energy of a polite street fight outside a farmers' market, but one that could soon eclipse our age-old Anglo-Scottish sparring. One close point from the US to Canada is the border between Detroit, Michigan (US) and Windsor, Ontario (Canada), which spans the Detroit River. This week I flew to Detroit and crossed the border by car into Windsor. On one side, muscle cars and MAGA hats; on the other, maple leaves and passive resistance. Landing in the US, I found myself wondering: Have I ever tweeted something spicy enough to be flagged by Homeland Security? I'm a liberal Pakistani-Scottish woman with a fondness for human rights and sarcasm — so, probably. I even censored myself mid-flight while chatting to the woman beside me, just in case my views got me deported before I'd even finished my pretzels. As it turned out, I sailed through immigration. But the process felt Orwellian — less Big Brother, more Big Border Patrol. It was the first time I felt that my politics, passport and profile picture might be under review by an algorithm with a grudge. Trump crushes hopes of 'peace talks' call with Musk as he insists Elon has 'lost his mind' after feud went nuclear Last week King Charles and Queen Camilla landed in Ottawa, 400 miles from Windsor — like some royal advance party sent to remind Canada they're not available for franchise. Charles was there to open Parliament and, unofficially, to stick a diplomatic elbow between Canada and Trump's vision of turning it into a Walmart with trees. Trump had recently floated the idea of Canada becoming the 51st US state — a suggestion so absurd it made The Handmaid's Tale look like a romcom. But Canadians, long stereotyped as gentle pacifists with a fetish for fleece, have started pushing back with the Elbows Up movement. Time to tan and pair up again TEN years. That's how long Love Island has been thrusting bronzed 20-somethings into a villa armed with veneers, trust issues, and bikinis smaller than their moral compasses. And somehow, despite the rise of AI lovers and Hinge horror stories, the show's stayed loyal to its original premise: couple-up or get dumped. In this economy? That's practically a marriage vow. Tomorrow, the 12th series washes ashore – and just like your ex, it'll turn up every weekday at 9pm, whether you want it to or not. But credit where it's due: in an age of ghosting, orbiting and situationships, the transactional honesty is almost refreshing. Find someone hot. Stay together. Win. If only the rest of us had a narrator explaining where we went wrong with that man from Fife who 'wasn't ready to label things'. 'Elbows Up, Canada!' is their national pep talk, a slogan born from ice hockey legend Gordie Howe, who once said: 'If a guy slashed me, I'd pull him close and elbow him in the head.' And now the nation has adopted that spirit. It features in a video campaign with new Prime Minister Mark Carney and actual national treasure Mike Myers, whose shirt: reads: 'NEVER 51.' That's the mood now — polite defiance in plaid. It's a masterclass in soft power. The Scottish-English tension may have Brexit baggage, but this? This is a full-blown cold war of the niceties. Miley is the adult now THERE are things no one prepares you for in life: pandemics, the rise of Crocs, and your dad dating Liz Hurley. But here we are – Miley Cyrus, patron saint of post-trauma empowerment, has broken her silence on her da Billy Ray's new love interest. Not a line-dancing divorcee or a country starlet, but the one and only safety-pinned icon of the Nineties. Yes, that Liz Hurley. Now, if you thought family drama peaked with Meghan and Harry, hold Miley's gluten-free beer. The former Disney rebel has navigated her parents' split, gone no-contact with Dad, and now emerged with the kind of perspective that costs thousands in therapy. 'I'm being an adult about it,' she told the New York Times, as if she's not clearly the only adult in the room. Should we have opinions on our parents' love lives? Absolutely not. Do we? Always. Especially when their new flame once dated Hugh Grant and probably owns lingerie more expensive than most mortgages. But Miley's honesty hits a nerve. That moment you realise your parents are fallible, with achy breaky hearts and questionable taste in post- divorce rebounds. It's disarming, dignified – and depressingly mature. Still, if anyone can make blended family dysfunction look glam, it's Liz bloody Hurley. And if Miley can 'wish happiness' to the chaos, maybe there's hope for the rest of us. Next year construction is due to finish on the Gordie Howe International Bridge between Detroit and Windsor, named after the elbow-throwing icon. But this isn't just infrastructure — it's metaphor. A physical link between two nations increasingly trying to figure out how to stay connected without being consumed. The old Auld Enemy rivalry will always be part of our DNA — but if you're looking for the next great national drama, look to the US and Canada. It's neighbour vs neighbour, lumber vs logic, satire vs statecraft and Mike Myres vs Trump.
The Independent
08-03-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Scotland vs Wales LIVE rugby: Latest score and updates from Six Nations as Kinghorn scores again in rout
Scotland will be wary of a rapidly-improving Wales as they bid to bounce back from their Calcutta Cup defeat. Finn Russell 's missed conversion denied the visitors a fifth successive success over the Auld Enemy, and raised tough questions for Gregor Townsend with another Six Nations without significant success beckoning. With France to come on the final weekend, this becomes a crucial encounter to show that progress can still be made for this group and this coaching staff. For Wales, meanwhile, this feels like a free shot. The rapid, drastic improvements shown in Matt Sherratt's first game as interim coach have brought the optimism back to Welsh rugby, even if defeat to Ireland extended their long losing runs to 15 games. Sherratt has insisted he has no interest in the role on a full-time basis but another strong showing here would further his reputation and instil further confidence within a young squad in need of positivity. Can they snap the streak? Scotland 35-8 Wales, 55 minutes Scotland need to keep their structure even though they have a healthy lead as they know the individual threat Wales propose. Faletau powers forward after Graham's kick, hitting White in the process before Scotland finally halt his run. Wales push into the 22 and earn a penalty as Scotland are caught off-side at the breakdown. The attack ends with a cross-field kick, but we go back for the advantage. Wales opt to kick to the corner. Ciara Fearn8 March 2025 18:07 Scotland 35-8 Wales, 53 minutes Ritchie gets the penalty for Scotland at the breakdown. Scotland look to spread it wide to Graham, who tries to weave his way through on the wing. However, a knock-on hands possession to Wales, who send a kick through. Kinghorn scrambles to gather and off-loads to Graham, who clears. Wales have the advantage for a Scotland off-side and opt for a kick over the top. With no advantage, play is brought back for the penalty. 8 March 2025 18:03 TRY! Scotland 35-8 Wales, 48 minutes Scotland drive forward from the lineout, just eight meters from the try line, with Cherry looking to go blind side. They quickly move the ball through the hands, and with plenty of space ahead, Kinghorn goes over for the try. Excellent attacking play from Scotland, and Russell safely converts. Wales have made a few changes to their front row, bringing on Dewi Lake, Aaron Wainwright and Keiron Assiratti. Ciara Fearn8 March 2025 17:57 Scotland 28-8 Wales, 44 minutes Wow, that was a crazy bit of play, Scotland gain possession, but as they try to move it wide, Van der Merwe is forced into touch. Wales win a penalty after Fagerson is penalised for hands on the ground. Scotland regain the ball just past halfway, with Jordan feeding it to Jones. Graham assesses his options before Murray confidently claims the high ball. Williams launches a box kick, and Kinghorn does brilliantly to collect it. Scotland then opt for another box kick, which Anscombe safely gathers. Ciara Fearn8 March 2025 17:53 Kick-off Scotland 28-8 Wales, 41 minutes We're underway again! Scotland have scored four tries already securing their bonus point. Kinghorn kicks things off in Murrayfield. Ciara Fearn8 March 2025 17:50 HALF TIME: Scotland 28-8 Wales 'Matt Sherratt, welcome to the real international world,' Jonathan Davies remarks on the BBC, putting it more succinctly than I ever could. Yes, after the optimism of the first half against Ireland, Wales have bashed back down to earth with quite the bump with Scotland cantering towards a big win. A bonus point already in the bag, Scotland have showed off their vibrant, varied attacking game, with Wales unable to combat it when their strategy to go hard at the breakdown has failed to get hands on ball. All may not be lost for Wales - remember, they roared back to within a point from the same 20-point deficit in Cardiff last year, though one suspects Scotland will be rather more ready for a comeback here... Harry Latham-Coyle8 March 2025 17:36 HALF TIME: Scotland 28-8 Wales Harry Latham-Coyle8 March 2025 17:33 Scotland 28-8 Wales, 42 minutes Scotland ride the helter-skelter: Blair Kinghorn and Duhan van der Merwe throw their arms in the air as they are lifted towards the touchline, offloading to no-one in particular. Wales gather Van der Merwe's eventually and chance a length-of-the-field attempt - briefly, that is. Sense prevails and Tomos Williams brings the half to a close by kicking the ball out. Harry Latham-Coyle8 March 2025 17:32 Scotland 28-8 Wales, 40 minutes Wales can't work consistently into their attacking shape, with the extra Scottish man making a difference. They'll have the last attack of the half after Finn Russell thunders the latest penalty down into the visitors' 22. Harry Latham-Coyle8 March 2025 17:30 Scotland 28-8 Wales, 39 minutes A frantic couple of minutes with the two teams trading passes to ghosts, the ball twice hitting the deck in relatively quick succession. Jamie Ritchie goes off his feet to bail Wales out of a bit of bother. Harry Latham-Coyle8 March 2025 17:28
The Independent
08-03-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Scotland vs Wales LIVE rugby: Latest build-up and updates from Six Nations as visitors seek breakthrough win
Scotland will be wary of a rapidly-improving Wales as they bid to bounce back from their Calcutta Cup defeat. Finn Russell 's missed conversion denied the visitors a fifth successive success over the Auld Enemy, and raised tough questions for Gregor Townsend with another Six Nations without significant success beckoning. With France to come on the final weekend, this becomes a crucial encounter to show that progress can still be made for this group and this coaching staff. For Wales, meanwhile, this feels like a free shot. The rapid, drastic improvements shown in Matt Sherratt's first game as interim coach have brought the optimism back to Welsh rugby, even if defeat to Ireland extended their long losing runs to 15 games. Sherratt has insisted he has no interest in the role on a full-time basis but another strong showing here would further his reputation and instil further confidence within a young squad in need of positivity. Can they snap the streak? Scotland vs Wales LIVE Hello and welcome to The Independent's LIVE coverage of the second helping of Six Nations action on the penultimate Saturday of the tournament, and a highly intriguing encounter between Scotland and Wales. The visitors come bouncing up to Murrayfield having found new life under interim boss Matt Sherratt, while Gregor Townsend's side are still ruing the missed opportunities at Twickenham a fortnight ago with the head coach under growing pressure. Kick off in Edinburgh is at 4.45pm GMT. Harry Latham-Coyle7 March 2025 21:25
The Independent
22-02-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Finn Russell misses last-gasp conversion as England hold on to end Scotland run
Finn Russell squandered a last-gasp conversion for victory as Scotland's four-year stranglehold on the Calcutta Cup ended with a nail-biting 16-15 defeat to England. Fly-half Russell, who has so often been the architect of England's downfall, fired wide of the left post in the final minute at Allianz Stadium following a dramatic touch down from Duhan Van der Merwe. First-half tries from Ben White and Huw Jones, either side of a converted score from England's Tommy Freeman, put Gregor Townsend's team en route for an unprecedented fifth consecutive win in this fixture. But the Scots paid a heavy price for failing to turn their early dominance into a greater lead as eight points from Marcus Smith and a long-range Fin Smith penalty turned the contest in the hosts' favour, prior to the sensational finale. A fortnight on from a thrilling 26-25 victory over France, Steve Borthwick's side overcame a dismal first-half display to keep alive their Guinness Six Nations title hopes by the finest of margins as they finally savoured redemption against the 'Auld Enemy'. With a win and a defeat apiece from the opening two rounds of the tournament, the rivals came into a pivotal contest each requiring victory to remain in contention for championship glory. England were installed as heavy favourites by bookmakers but it was Scotland who benefited from a blistering start as Tom Jordan's burst down the left wing allowed scrum-half White to dive over. The hosts produced a perfect response to the fourth-minute setback, with Freeman adjudged to have grounded a close-range finish at the end of sustained pressure before Marcus Smith slotted the conversion. Yet, after the pulsating, end-to-end action briefly gave way to a more attritional affair, Scotland caused further problems with their pacey attack before deservedly regaining their advantage. Van der Merwe and Blair Kinghorn, who helped assist the opening score, were again heavily involved, combining to release try-scorer Jones on the left following a swift line-out move which began on the opposite flank. England's disjointed performance was not helped by a series of box kicks from scrum-half Alex Mitchell which brought little joy and contributed to subduing an uninspired home crowd at Twickenham. Scotland's superiority should really have resulted in greater breathing space on the scoreboard. But, with Russell having also missed his initial two conversion attempts, they led only 10-7 at half-time after surviving a major scare just before the whistle. England centre Ollie Lawrence split the Scottish line with a superb break before offloading to full-back Smith, whose electric dart for the try-line was crucially halted by Van der Merwe. Borthwick wasted little time in turning to his bench in a bid to shift momentum as he introduced experienced duo Jamie George and Elliot Daly inside five minutes of the restart. A straightforward Marcus Smith penalty soon levelled proceedings, leaving the encounter on a knife edge as the two teams battled for supremacy going into a tense final quarter. England led for the first time in the 67th minute when Marcus Smith slotted another penalty from in front of the posts. With defences largely on top, Scotland struggled to reproduce the attacking enterprise shown earlier in the evening as a shot at history started to slip away. England fly-half Fin Smith, who starred against France, nervelessly split the posts from halfway to give the home side a 16-10 advantage nine minutes from time. Townsend's team initially looked like they would not be able to hit back. But England's backline was left floundering by Scottish replacement Stafford McDowall, which culminated in Van der Merwe crossing on the left. Russell, who recovered from a nasty head knock in his country's round-two loss to Ireland to feature, was left with a match-winning moment but his effort sailed wide before England survived the frantic finish.
The Independent
21-02-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
England and Scotland face new pressures in transformed Calcutta Cup rivalry
The Battle of Bannockburn is remembered as the pivot point in the First War of Scottish Independence, an English infantry of greater masses and might sent decisively into retreat to lay the foundations for the eventual restoration of the Kingdom of Scotland. Of late, the pair's rugby rivalry has experienced just as dramatic and decisive a swing. In more than a century of Calcutta Cup conflict, Scottish hands have never held on to the silver spoils for longer than the 1,477 consecutive days they will have had possession by the time they take to the Twickenham turf on Saturday. Since Gregor Townsend 's appointment as head coach, Scotland have lost just once in seven meetings with their Auld Enemy; with fly half Finn Russell on the pitch, as he will be this weekend after coming through return-to-play protocols, they are unbeaten in that time. From four wins in 30 years to four in four – even Robert the Bruce didn't enjoy such sustained success. 'I'm not sure if there was a fear factor,' Townsend said this week. 'But I think [Twickenham] was just a place that over history has been very tough for us. England are always a strong team. This group of players have had the experience of winning at Twickenham, which can help as you prepare for the game. But the reality is it's about what happens in 80 minutes. And we know it's going to be a very tough match.' The circumstances of each encounter have varied but a few themes run through the Anglo-Scottish battles. Russell, Duhan van der Merwe and Huw Jones have regularly torn English backlines asunder, while a sometimes-maligned pack has managed to match whatever advantage England may have claimed to count on up front. In stark contrast to their wallows in woe against Ireland, Townsend and his squad have managed to get their mentality spot on for these annual meetings – more accurate, more intense, and much smarter than their opponents. A run of five straight defeats in this fixture would be unprecedented territory for England. Their recent record against the Scots was described this week in a newspaper column by former skipper Courtney Lawes as 'embarrassing'; Maro Itoje, the current occupier of that role, would not quite use that term but the lock is clearly sick of Scottish success. 'Our recent record against Scotland is something we are not happy about,' Itoje emphatically stressed. 'From our point of view, it's a brilliant opportunity on Saturday to try to change the narrative there and win the Calcutta Cup. 'They have a better record against us in recent times than most nations. That's something we are massively motivated to try to overturn. It's something we're not proud about, it's something that we don't like and hopefully on Saturday we can create our own history.' The wider context for England surrounds a fear of another false dawn and of a side at their best with their backs against the wall, rather than on the front foot. While the long-awaited win over France in round two felt like a real breakthrough moment, this team has been here before and struggled to back up their best performances with another. Ireland's fortunes from here will ultimately decide the destination of the Six Nations title but the draw has opened up kindly for England to finish four from four provided they can clear a stumbling block that has proved insurmountable over the last few years. 'We need to seize our moments,' Itoje explained. 'In any game you have a finite amount of moments that are there for you to take. In the games after that Ireland win [in last year's Six Nations], whether it was France or in New Zealand and beyond, we had those moments but we didn't seize them. Our opportunity now is to seize the moment. 'It is always personal. Rugby is an emotional game. In my humble opinion, it is a game that requires more emotion than most other sports because of the nature of what we do. We don't want blind emotion that clouds your judgement. You don't want blind rage and you don't want blind, beating-your-chest fury, but you need some of that. You definitely need an element of that, but you also need accuracy. Rugby is not a game of brute force alone, you need accuracy and you need to have the composure to identify space and execute.' The inclusion of Ollie Chessum should give England greater lineout options from which to set platforms; an improved scrum likewise. They have plans in place to shut down Russell – not once considering this week that he would not be featuring despite lingering head injury concerns – though know that the rest of the side will carve them apart if they overly focus upon the fly half. Scotland have spent the last 10 days in Spain, soaking up restorative rays and bracing for battle. That escape has given them necessary distance from the noise that has re-appeared around Townsend since their latest Ireland no-show. The head coach is under renewed pressure as another Six Nations without genuinely tangible tournament success looms; for all the strides they have so clearly made under him, this gifted generation is still to gild their progress with anything other than a collection of Calcutta Cups. Glasgow boss Franco Smith's fallow week batting of the eyelashes while down in Wales may only have heightened the scrutiny on Scotland's fortunes from here. The Scottish Rugby Union (SRU) would be mighty keen to keep a South African that many feel is ideally suited for the role should Townsend move on, but their current head coach is under contract until the summer of 2026 – by which time the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) may have moved for Smith as Warren Gatland's replacement. There are obvious parallels to Townsend's own ascension to the role. Strong overtures towards the then-Glasgow coach from Harlequins forced the SRU's hand, and Vern Cotter was moved on. It is a mark of the good job that the former fly half has done that the side's supporter base has grown expectant. An historic fifth successive claiming of the Calcutta Cup would be most welcome. 'I don't think it's ever the case the game of rugby is won by who's up for it more. and sometimes it's lost by being up for it too much,' Townsend explained of the need to balance passion and pride with poise and precision. 'I would say though that maybe in the past, and I'm speaking personally here, that that was too much a factor, too much emotion came out, and not enough calmness and clarity in what we were doing. 'I know the passion will be there to play for your team-mates, to play for your country, to show an improved performance from the last game. But we have to be calm amongst the chaos, which there will be at times at the weekend.' The shifting psyches in this fixture add layers and layers of extra intrigue; so too the many duels given wider context with British and Irish Lions selection looming. It was a 61-21 drubbing at Twickenham in 2017 that ended the hopes of many potential Scottish tourists then – such a lopsided result is surely not on the cards but England will feel it is about time that Scotland were sent homewards tae think again.
