Trying time for Scotland the grave
Scotland were left wondering how to turn things around after they went down to an inexperienced England team at Murrayfield on Saturday, which was also their fourth consecutive game without scoring a try.
By contrast England’s rebuilt side were left looking forward to the rest of the Six Nations Championship with confidence after starting the defence of their title with a 13-6 win away against Scotland.
For the Stuart Lancaster – former Scotland youth international in charge of England – it was a dream start to life as a senior international coach; for Andy Robinson – the former England flank in charge of Scotland – it was an all too depressingly familiar tale.
England’s success, with Charlie Hodgson’s try after he charged down a kick from rival flyhalf Dan Parks 27 seconds into the second half proving decisive, was all the more creditable given they had seven players making their Test debuts – three in the starting line-up and four coming off the bench.
They also had to absorb plenty of Scotland pressure, especially towards the finish, with England making 142 tackles to the hosts’ 62.
Lancaster, who was appointed after Martin Johnson resigned following England’s World Cup debacle, was delighted by the spirit his team showed in ending a run of eight years without a victory at Murrayfield.
“This is a very difficult place to come and win. It has been a great result for us,” Lancaster said after the win on Saturday that set England up for another away match, against Italy in Rome, next weekend.
“We didn’t get everything right but we got a lot of things right,” said former Saxons chief Lancaster, who speaks with an undeniably English accent but who qualified for Scotland through his mother.
England captain Chris Robshaw, one of two new skippers on show along with Scotland hooker Ross Ford, lauded the visitors’ defence in a match where 20-year-old centre Owen Farrell kicked eight points on his Test debut.
“Whenever you play away from home you don’t have as much ball as you would like but everyone defended for their lives,” he said.
Scotland, for whom Parks kicked two penalties, did come close to a 63rd minute try only for the replay official to rule England scrumhalf Ben Youngs had beaten Greg Laidlaw to the touchdown after the Scotland replacement back’s chip over the defence.
But they also botched a possible ‘two-on-one’ score when flank Ross Rennie delayed his pass to Mike Blair and was tackled by fullback Ben Foden.
This was Scotland’s fourth successive Test without a try and left their coach, former England flank and boss Andy Robinson, still searching for his first win over his compatriots in four attempts.
He may never have a better chance given Scotland were at home and fielded a starting XV with more than double the number of caps of an England side whose naivety was evident in the way they often failed to find touch when under pressure in the closing stages.
Australian backs guru Scott Johnson, currently with Welsh side the Ospreys, is due to join Robinson’s staff after the end of the northern hemisphere season and on this evidence his arrival can’t come quickly enough.
Scotland’s players are scoring tries for their clubs in the Celtic League and European Cup but little of that form makes it to Test level, with the numerous knock-ons that littered Saturday’s display a far more common sight.
The lack of tries means questions are bound to be asked over the coaching ability of Robinson and attack chief Gregor Townsend, the former Scotland back, given the talent at their disposal.
In the meantime Robinson was left to utter an old refrain ahead of what he hopes will be an improved performance away to Wales next weekend, where defeat could condemn Scotland to yet another battle to avoid the wooden spoon.
“It seems a little bit like deja vu,” said Robinson. “We’ve been here before and obviously we’re all bitterly disappointed about what’s happened.
“We’ve not been able to convert the chances again. We’ve got to be able to take those chances.”
He added: “We’ve got to look at what we’re doing as a group. I’m accountable for that. I know my responsibility there. I will keep looking at it. We’re going to solve this together.”
AFP
