England run in seven tries to seal defence of their title
Match report: England 61-21 Scotland
6.27pm GMT
Right that’s me done. Join me next week for the final round. Bye!
6.26pm GMT
Paul Rees’s full report is in. This is it.
Related: England and Jonathan Joseph thump Scotland to seal Six Nations title
6.25pm GMT
And now Vern Cotter. “We got injuries early and came unstuck early in the game. We’ve had eight concussions in four games. I’m just focussed on trying to put a team together for the game next week, this one’s done and dusted.
“We didn’t defend well off the set-piece then we had some strategic difficulties when we made the changes. We’ll try and put something together for people to be proud of next week.”
6.18pm GMT
Eddie Jones: “We’ve been ready to play well for a couple of weeks. We were ready to play well against Italy but as you know we didn’t play rugby. Today we got a chance to play rugby and I’m very pleased. Next week’s about the grand slam and we’re going to focus very closely on that.
“The players have worked hard and learned new ways. When you’re a professional player it’s difficult to learn new things but they’re very open minded. What’s most exciting is we’re one year into a four-year project and they’re only going to get better.”
6.11pm GMT
Scotland captain John Barclay speaks, for once not to the referee. “We didn’t show up to day, discipline was very poor in the first half especially. England are arguably the best team in the world.
“It’s easy to look at injuries as an excuse but we train for these scenarios and we’ve got quality players.
6.08pm GMT
My esteemed colleague Observer Sport has produced this hot-off-the-interwebz snap report. The actual report from our man at the stadium (Paul Rees, I think) will follow shortly.
Related: England and Jonathan Joseph thump Scotland to seal Six Nations title
6.06pm GMT
Here's how the @SixNationsRugby table looks with one round to go
England are the 2017 winners! pic.twitter.com/7yY5xghR2O
6.06pm GMT
Jonathan Joseph speaks: “The boys performed extremely well. We were very confident.
“In the week we focussed on starting each session very well. The set piece worked really well, we’re very pleased.
6.04pm GMT
That wasn’t perfect from England. They conceded three tries after all. Otherwise it was a hell of a statement. Slow starters? Nervous? Worries about Owen Farrell? Pah. Scotland were blown away from the third minute to the 84th – it was a complete performance when they had possession at least. The Scottish injuries didn’t help the visitors’ cause, of course, but no one can seriously suggest they affected the outcome.
Congratulations, then, England. They have the title: on the line next week are an outright record of 19 wins in a row and becoming the first team to win back-to-back Six Nations grand slams.
6.00pm GMT
England have won the Calcutta Cup, they have equalled the All Blacks’ world record for the most tier one Test wins in a row and they have won back-to-back Six Nations!
5.59pm GMT
Relentless waves of attack, plugging away from close range for countless phases. Sinckler offloads and Care finally sees the gap, diving gleefully over the line. Farrel converts.
5.53pm GMT
79 min They’re going to take another scrum.
5.53pm GMT
78 min The scrum is a mess but Billy V goes on a charge off the back anyway. Farrell tries the cross-kick for Nowell but Weir secures it. Back we go though for the scrum penalty.
5.52pm GMT
Jonathan Joseph is man of the match for his hat-trick. Well yes, he would be.
5.51pm GMT
77 min Gray takes the throw and the maul forms, but England hold it up and earn the turnover scrum five metres from the Scotland line.
5.50pm GMT
76 min Nice hands send the ball left to Watson, who appears to be OK now, but Huw Jones is across to make a good tackle and take him into touch. Jones has played well today, compared to his team-mates at least.
5.48pm GMT
75 min Jonny Gray is replaced by Tim Swinson for Scotland as England hammer away at the Scottish defence after winning the lineout. They’re 10 metres away.
5.48pm GMT
74 min Penalty to England shortly after the restart, a metre inside Scotland’s half as Barclay enters a ruck at the side. Farrell to touch inside the 22, on the right. Watson is down.
5.46pm GMT
Twenty-four points now for Farrell.
5.46pm GMT
From the restart, Scotland are penalised for chasers being in front of the kicker. Farrell sticks it in the corner and George returns from the blood bin, Hartley going off again. Itoje takes, pops it down and Care loops round to dart over the line. That’s a lovely little step and finish.
5.44pm GMT
Russell curls it over from the touchline.
5.43pm GMT
Russell sends it right where Visser pops up and drives to within a couple of metres. Left they go and Gray is driven back by Sinckler, but Russell does brilliantly to come round and take the offload. Left it goes with another lovely pass and Jones steps inside to dot down. Scotland are one try away from the bonus point.
5.42pm GMT
69 min The ball gets stuck in a ruck; Scotland were going forward so they get the put in. Richie Gray asks for a penalty, for the tackler not rolling away, but is firmly told that he shouldn’t be holding said tackler in the ruck if he wants that.
5.41pm GMT
68 min Scotland plug away, 30 metres out.
5.40pm GMT
67 min Scotland lineout around 12 metres inside the England half. Visser comes off his wing after a couple of phases and shoots through a gap, into the 22, where he is turned over. Care clears to touch midway inside his own half.
5.39pm GMT
66 min Weir takes it at stand-off and switches play left. Scotland spring down the left through Visser and he tries to offload underhanded before being dragged into touch, only to pop it into the hands of George Ford. England make their last change as Tom Wood replaces his club-mate Courtney Lawes.
5.36pm GMT
64 min England are looking for gaps around the Scotland 10 metre line. There aren’t any at the moment and Billy Vunipola knocks on in the tackle.
5.35pm GMT
63 min We’re restarting with a scrum. It looks like that collision with Wilson means George has had to go off for an HIA so Hartley is back on in England’s front row.
5.34pm GMT
It’s another Scottish injury. Wilson makes a complete horlicks of his attempt to tackle George and takes a nasty bash to the head. He’s bleeding and won’t return – Cornell du Preez is on for his debut.
5.32pm GMT
62 min Not much is happening for the minute, so here’s Matt Dony with a tribute from Wales.
“England have been the best team in the northern hemisphere since the World Cup, and they deserve the Six Nations title. The consecutive victories record is amazing, but does flatter them. They have become the ultimate ‘More-than-the-sum-of-its-parts’ team. We were discussing the Lions last night. Admittedly, this discussion took place in a pub in Wales, so probably not the most neutral place, but there are so many positions where one of the other home nations has a better player than England. If you pick a settled side who are used to winning, it has to have a huge English contingent. But, if you pick the best specialist individuals (especially ones with Lions experience), there are surprisingly few English names that jump out. Also, how many of them would get into the 2003 side? Still, hats off to them. The best team will win the tournament. Again. There’s always next year.”
5.32pm GMT
61 min Tim Visser carries the ball for the first time in this match, then Russell kicks to Brown, who returns to touch down the left near halfway. Cole and Youngs are replaced by Sinckler and Care. Simon Berghan replaces Fagerson for Scotland as England nab the lineout and Watson kicks down the middle.
5.30pm GMT
60 min Scotland look to run it from the lineout on halfway. Russell sends a nice little pass out to Price on the wing. I should note that there are now two Vunipolas, Fords and Watsons on the pitch, and there were two Browns earlier.
5.29pm GMT
59 min The restart is a mess and the ball is bundled into touch, off an Englishman last.
5.28pm GMT
Farrell makes it England’s highest ever score in the Calcutta Cup as Teo’o and Mako Vunipola come on for Joseph and Marler.
5.27pm GMT
Itoje takes it, Vunipola and Launchbury come driving through and rumble over the line. Welcome back, Billy.
5.26pm GMT
56 min Itoje takes the throw from his club-mate George. The maul forms and rumbles towards the line but Scotland manage to hold it up and earn the scrum. John Barclay celebrates this minor victory, says something out of turn and England are given the penalty.
5.24pm GMT
55 min England get the penalty from the scrum, with Scotland’s front row in retreat. This time Farrell, who is presumably captain now, sticks it in the corner.
5.24pm GMT
Tommy Seymour has also failed his HIA. Duncan Weir will stay on.
5.23pm GMT
54 min England got a scrum from the restart. That was two minutes ago and we’re still resetting it.
5.21pm GMT
Russell nails a difficult conversion from out wide. England have made two changes: Hartley and Hughes off, George and Billy Vunipola on. Lucky Scotland.
5.20pm GMT
Scotland pick and go and make a tiny bit of ground with each phase. They’re within five... four... then Russell steps and dances towards the line from deeper before running into Launchbury. Left again and Jones squeezes and stretches to touch down in the corner. Will he be their Neymar?
5.18pm GMT
48 min Scotland get the penalty against the head at the scrum as England illegally wheel the scrum. Russell finds touch in the 22.
@DanLucas86 it'll be a challenge to deny England their losing bonus point from here #optimism #calcuttacup
5.17pm GMT
47 min Russell’s restart drifts into touch on the full and England will have a scrum centre-field.
5.16pm GMT
Huh, Farrell takes the points from 40 metres. Not sure why they went for goal there.
5.15pm GMT
45 min As Seymour goes off for an HIA of his own, Russell finds the corner with a good kick down the left. England steal the lineout again though and within seconds the backs have streamed into the Scotland half. They get a penalty for Jonny Gray failing to roll away too.
5.13pm GMT
The TMO tells the referee not to show a card. That’s the correct decision.
5.12pm GMT
44 min Reid and Brown are off, Dell and Ford on. From the restart, Seymour is hit late and hard and he stays down. It wasn’t too bad a hit from Hughes but the referee says it’s going to be at least a yellow card. That’s a poor decision, it was below nipple height.
5.10pm GMT
Farrell chips it over from under the posts.
5.10pm GMT
Still England hammer away. Joseph is stood deep and runs in at pace to take Youngs’ pop pass and go over for his third!
5.08pm GMT
42 min Now Watson slips away down the left and England have it in the 22. They look to go right but are a bit narrow for my liking. Brown carries it up to within 10 metres.
5.08pm GMT
41 min Ford restarts and Visser takes it in his 22. Eventually Pyrgos clears and Brown just about taps it back on the England side. Lawes and Launchbury carry it up towards the 10 metre line then Hughes breaks and offloads to Youngs. He’s not quite through and looks for Nowell with the offload but Russell reads it well and intercepts.
5.06pm GMT
We’re back for the second half. Scotland probably won’t have wanted to do that.
5.03pm GMT
A treat for you: videos of England’s first two tries.
4.51pm GMT
Yeah I thought that was ambitious. It drifts left.
4.50pm GMT
Still 40 min Russell kicks long and Hughes carries it back up. They get a penalty on halfway as Barclay takes a nap on the ball and Farrell is going to have a crack from 52 metres. No Elliot Daly of course.
4.49pm GMT
40 min Hartley steals it on the ground, outmuscling Dunbar on the floor. Farrell kicks ahead to the corner but Price, who has switched with Pyrgos and gone to the wing, dots it down for the 22 drop-out.
4.48pm GMT
39 min Nothing much happens in the 39th minute.
4.47pm GMT
38 min Long clearance from Youngs and again he finds touch on the right three metres inside his own half. Richie Gray secures the lineout ball this time but then Dunbar is wrapped up by Joseph the other side of halfway.
4.46pm GMT
From wide on the right, Farrell is in the zone.
4.45pm GMT
Ford delays his pass from the lineout midway inside Scotland’s half, Farrell pops it to Joseph and he shreds the defence again. Into the 22, a slalom right and Watson runs a nice supporting line to dive over.
4.44pm GMT
35 min Now Barclay is having a whinge at the referee. If his side concentrated on defending rather than talking to the ref, this might not keep happening:
4.43pm GMT
34 min High from Russell but Brown takes it very well with Wilson bearing down on him. That’s a Paul Collingwood-level catch. Youngs goes high from that and Itoje secures it. England get a penalty to boot as Watson goes off his feet at the subsequent ruck.
4.42pm GMT
33 min Youngs clears and this time keeps it in field. Seymour collects on halfway and jinks back but – sigh – he’s no Stuart Hogg.
Jonathan Joseph against Scotland's defence @bloodandmud @joshgardner pic.twitter.com/uxcAA0H5yK
4.41pm GMT
From 15 metres in and 35 out, Farrell swings it through.
“Blimey, thought this would be closer,” writes Peter Ward. Me too Peter.
4.39pm GMT
31 min From the restart Price clears to touch and Jonny Gray concedes a penalty for side entry at the ensuing maul. Farrell will go for goal.
“Dan, do kindly remind us of the largest points-difference drubbing Scotland have suffered at Twickenham, if you might. Would be good to know what England are aiming at.” Andrew Benton, I’d like to be allowed back into Scotland at some point.
4.38pm GMT
Easy.
4.38pm GMT
Quick ball off the top and Dunbar slips through Ford. The forwards drive towards the line and Reid just slips between Haskell and Youngs, stretches and scores!
4.36pm GMT
28 min Russell goes to the corner. I haven’t seen the high tackle by Lawes.
4.36pm GMT
27 min Jonny Gray secures the lineout and Scotland bash away towards the 22 in midfield. It’s extremely slow but it’s kind of effective. And hey, they get a penalty and an easy shot at goal from the 22. Fraser Brown is complaining about a high-tackle.
4.34pm GMT
26 min The editors say I have to do the rest of this match. From the restart, Youngs clears to touch midway inside his own half on the right.
4.34pm GMT
England have won the Six Nations. Bye.
4.33pm GMT
Ford to Farrell to Ford on the loop and back to Joseph. He runs a gorgeous line, switches direction to run another and Scotland can’t lay a hand on him from 22 metres.
4.33pm GMT
24 min Haskell forces the knock-on from Russell and England go left then right, whence Nowell kicks ahead. It sits up in play for Seymour, just a few metres from his own line, and the makeshift full-back has to clear to touch just outside his 22...
4.32pm GMT
23 min It was a neck-roll by Hartley, meaning penalty for Scotland. I didn’t see it even on the replay of the incident. Russell finds touch inside the England half and Scotland have a free-kick at the lineout as England close the gap, but the news is that Hogg has failed his HIA.
4.30pm GMT
22 min Haskell smothers Wilson but Scotland retain the ball and send it back to Russell, who kicks down the middle to Joseph. It doesn’t go the full Jonathan Davies though and Hughes knocks on. We’re having a look at something with the TMO though...
4.29pm GMT
Seymour has gone to full-back, Pyrgos to the wing. Scotland have a scrum five metres from their own line.
4.28pm GMT
21 min The scrums look very evenly matched. Ford kicks down the left to Bennett, who steps away from Watson but is then scragged in his 22 by Brown. The forwards get back and secure the ball but then Russell sends a terrible pass looping left and Joseph is so close to snatching it on the try-line. It slips from his fingertips though. To make things worse for Scotland, Bennett has picked up a leg injury and is going to be replaced by reserve scrum-half Henry Pyrgos. Hogg is still having his HIA.
4.25pm GMT
20 min England are going backwards thanks to some scrappy passing from the half-backs sending the ball bouncing in front of Joseph. Dunbar is up on him and exerts plenty of pressure but it’s a scrum England. They’re lucky that one went their way I reckon.
4.24pm GMT
19 min The first scrum of the day goes England’s way, with Fagerson slipping his bind by the looks of things. Scotland are deeply displeased with Dan Cole’s technique – quelle surprise. Farrell kicks to touch on halfway, which isn’t the best kick.
4.22pm GMT
18 min Left and Scotland are trying to get cute with their handling, but Launchbury takes down Russell and forces the knock-on. More bad news for Scotland – Hogg is off for an HIA. Mark Bennett comes on and there will be a reshuffle in the backs, I guess. Richie Gray is also down having some treatment to his ankle.
4.20pm GMT
17 min Left off the lineout and Farrell isn’t far from intercepting a whipped Russell pass. Hamish Watson makes a bit of ground with a good drive through the middle.
4.20pm GMT
16 min Ah this is sad: Daly has to go back off and is now permanently replaced by Anthony Watson. Ben Youngs clears from the restart and finds another good touch on his own 10 metre line down the left. He had no room to work with there but his exit kicks have been outstanding today. Fraser Brown is back.
4.18pm GMT
Farrell takes an easy three points from the 22 and Scotland need a rethink.
4.17pm GMT
14 min In fact Youngs got that all the way up to halfway and Lawes nabs the lineout. Left they go from that after Hughes secures a difficult ball and Joseph’s pace is giving Dunbar all kinds of problems right now. He makes more ground and Watson is penalised for killing the ball at the breakdown. Farrell should take an easy three points from the 22.
4.15pm GMT
13 min Knocked on by Jones and Youngs clears very well once again, finding touch on the far side of the field 45 metres away from his own line.
4.15pm GMT
12 min Russell is lurking in the pocket as Scotland continue to keep it in the tight. Twelve phases and it comes back but he doesn’t hit it cleanly and Youngs charges down a low kick. Hamish Watson recovers it for Scotland.
4.13pm GMT
11 min Scotland work it inside but England are defending well around the fringes for now. So wide they go and Russell looks to combine with Hogg but the latter loses his footing. It’s still with the Scots though.
4.13pm GMT
10 min Lovely kick from Russell, stabbed in behind Nowell and the wing slices his clearance into touch 10 metres out from his own line on the right. I did Hogg a disservice in the previous entry – it was he, rather than Barclay who stripped Lawes of the ball. No8 Ryan Wilson throws in Fraser Brown’s absence and finds Richie Gray at the front. Daly is back on.
4.11pm GMT
9 min Russell misses touch with his penalty but does well to keep the return in play. Hogg kicks long and high to Nowell, who sends it back to the full-back. Back to Ford and on to Brown, who takes it into contact inside his own half. Barclay then strips Lawes of the ball.
4.10pm GMT
8 min Watson takes and Watson kicks to Hogg, who gets his hands on the ball for the first time. That doesn’t last long as he’s taken down by a high tackle. Penalty only.
4.09pm GMT
From about 30 metres and 15 in from the left, Farrell sends it through. Can we get rid of those articles we wrote about slow starts now?
Neutrality’s Simon McMahon writes: “Afternoon Dan. 34 years of hurt at Twickenham. We can probably make that 36. But you never know. Although I think we do. Despair I can handle. Hope not so much. Heart says Scotland, everything else says England. Though if Laidlaw was fit... No harm in getting the excuses (or indeed the cocktails) in early, is there?”
4.08pm GMT
6 min No advantage so we go back from a penalty on the left for offside. Go for goal, says Dylan Hartley.
4.07pm GMT
5 min Hughes takes the long restart and Youngs goes high for Nowell to chase and the Exeter wing taps it back. England go left and Joseph and Brown carry it down the left and into Scotland territory. Back right and Nowell comes off his wing to scamper into the 22.
4.06pm GMT
From 18 metres in, Farrell knocks the conversion over showing no signs of a bad leg. Watson is on for Daly, who is having an HIA.
4.05pm GMT
That’s far too easy. England go left from the lineout and Dunbar badly misses Joseph. The centre is too quick for Hogg to get across and from 35 metres he scorches over on the left.
4.04pm GMT
Yellow card for Fraser Brown – that’s a badly mistimed tackle and a very hard one. He’s lucky it was the wing’s shoulders that hit the ground first. Farrell finds touch on the right, midway inside the Scotland half.
4.03pm GMT
2 min Taken and chipped ahead where Nowell takes just inside his own half. They go right and Daly is thumped as he releases Itoje to have a rumble down the right. Back inside but the referee stops the game because Daly has stayed down after that enormous hit from Fraser Brown. He’s lifted his legs above the horizontal you know and Brown could be in trouble here. We’re with the TMO...
4.01pm GMT
1 min We’re off, through Russell’s boot and Itoje’s take. Youngs clears from his 22, deep, and it’s into touch on the right five metres inside the Scotland half. That’s a great boot from the scrum-half.
3.58pm GMT
@DanLucas86 it's a mixed up, weird world where Dallaglio is the short arse of the group! #scotlandrugby #AsOne #OurDay #6nations2017 pic.twitter.com/CURcRNoxGo
I once sat in the press seats at Franklin’s Gardens in a row with Dallaglio, Nick Kennedy, Martin Bayfield and Craig Doyle. Dallaglio and I are the same height, so Doyle was the only one who could fit comfortably in the seats. He’s a lovely man, incidentally.
3.56pm GMT
The players are out for the anthems. A thumping victory for Scotland.
3.46pm GMT
There is another match going on today: the Anglo-Welsh Cup final between Leicester and Saracens. Have a read on why no one cares.
Related: The Joy of Six: flawed sporting competitions
3.33pm GMT
A smooth plug this one, from Steve Pye.
@DanLucas86 1983: A new £1 coin; female PM; Man Utd in the League Cup final. And Scotland's last win at Twickenham: https://t.co/3uS7b70ahX
Related: England need to make their familiar strengths pay against Scotland | Robert Kitson
Related: James Haskell: ‘It’s hard labour being a forward … we’re like removal men’
Related: Four victories since 1911 and 34 winless years: will Scotland end Twickenham hoodoo? | Bryn Palmer
3.11pm GMT
The big news for England is that Owen Farrell has been given the all clear and will take the No12 jersey, after he was unable to train on Friday because of an unspecified leg injury.
12.10pm GMT
Afternoon, once more, folks. Thanks to Wales, this one is simple. Forget the tier one record of 18 wins in a row. Forget the tantalising possibility of back-to-back grand slams. Forget the 34 years since your last win at Twickenham. Forget the meagre four wins here in more than 100 years. We thought we might have a shoot-out for the title next week in Dublin but - apologies to Italy - Christmas has come early. These two are effectively playing for the 2017 Six Nations title!
England are the favourites here to win the match and that would see them home and dry. The Calcutta Cup would take second place to the championship, which is mathematically theirs with any kind of win.
Continue reading...