Scotland travel as hot favourites but without three players from the Calcutta Cup. Victory has come at a cost. Jack Dempsey, belligerence on legs, Jamie Ritchie, a warrior in his 40 minutes, and Jamie Dobie, class in every area after a rough experience in Rome, are not going to make it to Wales.
Dempsey and Ritchie might not be seen again in the championship. Townsend could have done without those blows, but he’s used to the carnage of Six Nations rugby. He also has decent deputies in store for the trip to the Principality Stadium. One win must become two or else the significance of what happened at Murrayfield goes away like so many of the other victories over England. Unless it’s properly built upon then it’s a one-off and everybody connected with this team is fed up with one-offs.
All the self-doubt Scotland owned now transfers to England. It’s a heavy burden. It’s said, endlessly, that Scotland get up for England more than they get up for any other opposition. We can debate the accuracy of that until the cows come home.
The relevant question about this England team, and the ones that have come before them in a run of five defeats in six against the Scots is why don’t they get up for Scotland? The dawning of reality should be close at hand now for England players – ‘maybe it’s not you, Scotland. Maybe it’s us’.
Tuipulotu said on Friday his team were desperate and he wanted to see that desperation visited upon England. He got his wish. We know Scotland had this kind of performance deep within them – there’s been plenty, if fleeting, evidence of their class – but what we didn’t know, what we could not take on trust, was their ability to deliver this kind of controlled fury for 80 minutes.
But they did. This was as dominant a Scotland performance as you’ll get over England, a thing of thunder and beauty, class and heart, ruthlessness and intelligence. All those combined Calcutta Cup teams that people did pre-match – Scotland had an average of three or four players in a joint side – were ripped to shreds. A new version would have more tartan than a shortbread factory.
It was a game that threw up dozens of cameos to ponder, not just the creation and execution of the Scotland tries but the bareknuckle stuff they delivered in defence. To a man, starting team and bench, they stood up.
Stood up for themselves, for their coach, for their supporters. With each demonic play in defence during that second half you got a snapshot of how difficult this past week has been for them and how they were prepared to do anything – anything – to make it better.