Scotland 0 England 20: Red Rose back in full bloom for title challenge

Even in the best of conditions, Calcutta Cup games here are traditionally fairly dour, borne out by the fact England had only scored one try in their last four visits.

Furthermore, they had already shown concerns about the worm-infested pitch during the week and more afternoon rain would only make it worse for Saturday evening’s Six Nations fixture.

How refreshing then that Stuart Lancaster’s men not only secured the expected victory, re-igniting their hopes of a championship success after the disappointment of Paris, but did so while consistently trying to play running rugby with such verve and elan.

It would have been easy to allow their pack, so clearly dominant with Billy Vunipola and Courtney Lawes to the fore, to batter their way to success against shambolic foes in an attritional manner.

The surface was a mess, especially as brass bands, marching bands and any other sort of band you can imagine still stomped around on it during the build-up.

You half-expected organisers to invite the crowd on en masse, too, possibly for their own private pitch inspection wherever there was a spare blade of grass.

Maybe desperate Scotland thought it would be their only hope; as it happened, it mattered not one jot as England, with dashing full-back Mike Brown particularly potent, continually looked for space and found it.

To add to Scotland’s woe – they were poor against Ireland but wretched here – England also kept them pointless for the first time since March, 1978. It was no surprise really; the Red Rose enjoyed a massive 66 per cent territory – probably nearer 90 in the second period – and similar possession on the back of a non-existent Scottish line-out, awful ill-discipline and aimless kicking.

For the visitors, there was plenty of positives, not least another commanding display from Owen Farrell.

Although the fly-half endured a nightmare evening with his place kicking, missing three penalties, including shanking one from in the front of the posts in the opening stages, his game-management was excellent.

Ignoring the elements to try and get his backs moving as much as possible, the 22 year-old varied his passing long and short, attacked the line himself and kept his kicking to the bare minimum.

It meant centres Luther Burrell and Billy Twelvetrees were increasingly involved and how England did not profit with more than their two tries is as perplexing as trying to work out how abject Scotland can be so bad.

That said, for all their dire play, the hosts did scramble well, Sean Lamont getting back to drag Burrell down inches short after he had supported Farrell’s clever break just before the interval and, then, in the second period, Alex Dunbar shackling Tom May in similar circumstances after a brilliant cut-out pass from Twelvetrees.

Dunbar, however, did not release the England winger – maybe he was so happy at getting a rare, clean hit – and, so, was yellow carded to make Scotland’s task even more arduous.

During his spell off the field, impressive Exeter winger Jack Nowell skipped out of two lame tackles down a tight touchline to put Brown scampering over.

He had finally scored his first international try in 22 games against France and, so, like buses, 
his second came in quick succession.

Scotland, meanwhile, would do well to employ the services of the semi-naked kilt-wearing fan who – no doubt incensed by yet another dropped ball – showed great ballast to charge through four stewards at the end of the ground where there was simply no action in that second period.

Danny Care, the ex-Leeds Tykes star who was again assertive at scrum-half, put England ahead with an early drop goal before arrowing a perfect flat pass to send fellow Yorkshireman Burrell hurtling over for the centre’s second try in as many games.

It came after a driving maul near the Scottish line and, with so many runners in play, the confused hosts were left baffled though the execution – from Care and Burrell’s angle and timing of run – was sublime.

Farrell converted the 15th-minute score and, though they messed up the restart, Greg Laidlaw struck a post with his second missed penalty attempt.

Scotland would never really look like scoring after that. England, however, with rookie wings May and Nowell ignoring those treacherous underfoot conditions, probed and attacked with zeal.

It was just a pity their own line-out fell away after excellent hooker Dylan Hartley was replaced with 10 minutes to go, otherwise they surely would have extended their lead handsomely.

Next up is Ireland at Twickenham a week Saturday for what will be a far different task.

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Scotland: Hogg; Seymour (Evans 65), Dunbar, Scott (Taylor 72), Lamont; Weir, Laidlaw (Cusiter 63); Grant (Dickinson 43), Ford (Lawson 43), Low, Swinson, Hamilton (Gray 70), Wilson, Fusaro, Denton (Beattie 53).

England: Brown; Nowell, Burrell (Barritt 74), Twelvetrees, May (Goode 74); Farrell, Care (Dickson 74); Marler (M Vunipola 65), Hartley (T Youngs 70), Cole (Thomas 76), Launchbury (Attwood 63), Lawes, Wood, Robshaw, B Vunipola (Morgan 70).

Referee: J Garces (France).