22-02-2025
England regain Calcutta Cup after Scotland miss last-gasp kick
Men's Six NationsEngland (7) 16Tries: Freeman Con: M Smith Pens: M Smith 2, F SmithScotland (10) 15Tries: White, Jones, Van der Merwe
England edged towards the business end of the Six Nations in contention for the title as Finn Russell missed a 79th-minute conversion and Scotland's Calcutta Cup winning streak ended at Allianz from Ben White and Huw Jones gave the dominant visitors a three-point half-time lead, but England hung in the fight and got the better of the breakdown after the break.A pair of penalties from Marcus Smith and a booming kick from halfway from Fin Smith put England 16-10 clear going into the final nine Scotland shot back with wing Duhan van der Merwe going over in the corner after replacement Stafford McDowall had cantered through the heart of England's as Allianz Stadium held its breath, Russell, who had missed two previous shots off the tee, pushed a potentially match-winning conversion inches wide of the left Scotland were ambushed by the sort of steely rearguard action which they used to unleash on their auld rivals north of the trail defending champions Ireland by four points in the Six Nations standings, but a dangerous France will travel to Dublin in the next round with a point to prove and their own title aspirations potentially on the Borthwick's side take on Italy and Wales, who finished fifth and sixth in last year's championship, in their final two are facing another mid-table finish as, once again, expectation fades to frustration and time ticks down on a golden generation of taking charge midway through 2017, coach Gregor Townsend's best return from seven previous Six Nations campaigns is a pair of third-place finishes.
More to follow.
