It’s time for another Calcutta Cup match with the auld enemy visiting the bug-infested Murrayfield for what is sure to be a complete mess of a match. The announcement that the stadium pitch will be replaced by a hybrid turf field similar to the one in Dublin is great news and a development that cannot come soon enough. Scottish fans will be desperately trying to hit fast forwards on their calendars to escape the embarrassment destined for this game and onwards in the championship.
The inestimable wisdom of Scott Johnson is once again at the forefront of a truly mystifying decision to drop captain Kelly Brown in favour of uncapped Chris Fusaro, despite the fact that the conditions will almost certainly be muddy and slow, all but nullifying Fusaro’s strengths, that being his speed to the breakdown in the wide channels. Indeed Johnson’s explanation that Brown wasn’t ticking all the boxes he wants from an openside directly flies in the face of what he said a week ago, which is just about all that needs to be said on that topic.
Joining Brown in the department of the bemused are Pat MacArthur and Richie Gray, inexplicably dropped in favour of Scott Lawson and Jonny Gray. Greig Laidlaw takes over the captaincy despite an apathetic showing a week ago, while Tommy Seymour comes onto the right wing to replace Sean Maitland, whose tournament is sadly over after being injured against Ireland. Centre Matt Scott is returned to the centre having recovered from a hand injury, with Duncan Taylor swapping to the bench, a welcome return in the face of such turmoil.
Johnson’s cockamamie selections have thankfully overshadowed Stuart Lancaster’s equally incredulous choices to retain the same bench composition that served him so poorly in Paris, though admittedly Scotland pose no such threat and thus is unlikely to have any impact on the result. Lancaster has resisted making any changes at all, with Jonny May named to start on the left wing despite badly breaking his nose early on in the match against France.
Of course it’s possible that Scotland lift their game on their home ground, against their most despised opposition, but it’s also just as likely that they appear even more rudderless, deposed of motivation by Johnson’s half-witted incompetence. England will win this regardless, but will be hell bent on putting together a performance to get them back on track after their late capitulation to Les Bleus. Expect the visitors to romp to a 20 point victory as the pitchforks are sharpened in the dark Lothian night.
SCOTLAND vs ENGLAND
Saturday, February 8, Edinburgh, 17:00 GMT
Referee: Jérôme Garcès (FFR)
Assistants: George Clancy (IRFU) & Mike Fraser (NZRU)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (FFR)
