The least satisfying spectacles in sports are the ones that float by and then disappear before we learn anything. Murrayfield would probably never fall into that category on Saturday, such were the interwoven subplots.
A fourth successive Scotland win over England cemented the superiority of Gregor Townsend's side during this period of dominance. Although the hosts were helped by a flurry of handling errors at Murrayfield, they also underlined how they are ahead of England.
A complementary midfield to beat blitzes
We were reminded that Finn Russell can take control of a match in an understated way, without too many Hollywood moments. Scotland's first try, for example, came from a simple but slick move in the first phase, using the fly-half as bait to tempt England's blitz and leaning on another playmaker in Sione Tuipulotu.
With a scrum around 45 yards out, Scotland use a pattern that has been used continuously by teams around the world in recent years. There's a reason the setup is so popular. When done right, it is extremely difficult to defend.
Tuipulotu steps up at the first receiver, while Huw Jones makes a narrow angle and Russell disappears behind with Van der Merwe. Note that Kyle Steyn is holding the width on the far sideline. The England backs, meanwhile, press up and in, with George Furbank swinging around from the full-back:
But from then on, Scotland's balanced and cohesive center combination - the men known as 'Huwipulotu' - exposed the insecurity of their counterparts. This was an eighth start together for Ollie Lawrence and Henry Slade, but still a first since last season when the former returned from injury. Watch the try-through first:
Zooming in on the critical pass, from Tuipulotu to Jones, we can appreciate the subtleties in play. First, Tuipulotu landed on George Ford's outside shoulder. This encourages Lawrence to intervene. And since Slade is so concerned about pushing through to suppress Russell, that opens the hole:
The story continues
Jones cuts through untouched:
Ironically, the moment is very similar to how Slade himself cut South Africa to pieces with the same piece in 2021. He stepped over Elton Jantjies to repair Damian Willemse. When Lukhanyo pushed Am past Joe Marchant towards Marcus Smith, Slade took the right pass:
Scotland also trumped England's aggressive system for try number three. A chaotic passage begins with Scott Cummings rising to steal an English line-out. Rory Darge feeds Russell, but the visitors respond well. The rears run up to cut off the wide channels...
...and a hasty kick is blocked:
But then Cameron Redpath's footwork puts several players behind England, and the hosts take advantage clinically:
Russell surveys the scoring phase, with Tommy Freeman and Furbank in the tackle area, and quickly identifies the space. Maro Itoje is the England defender closest to the far touchline, leaving them extremely vulnerable despite Danny Care's attempt to take cover. It is also crucial that Jamie Ritchie will play scrum half, with Ben White involved in the ruck. The flanker signals the need for a fast ball and feeds his playmaker:
Russell's execution is precise and Van der Merwe also deserves praise for his positioning. He must have been heading towards that sideline as Redpath passed through:
Both tries reflected a Scotland team on the same page. England, meanwhile, is still striving for cohesion. Lawrence has never really been given the space to run on the outside shoulders as he does effectively for Bath. The pursuit of continuity in midfield continues.
Alertness and athleticism when play is stopped
Urgency in 'transition' situations - from turnovers, for example - says a lot about a team's mentality and Scotland offered a glimpse of their collective instincts just before Van der Merwe's second try.
The passage begins with a lineout, with England playing a similar play to what led to Scotland's first try, as Slade Ford feeds behind Lawrence's run. Darge is the man to watch. Initially, he braces himself for a tackle in case Lawrence is fed by Slade:
As the ball goes out the back, Furbank spills a pass from Ford. Darge springs into action, catching the ricochet above his head and surveying the scene before attempting to make contact with Van der Merwe. To his credit, Daly is aware of the danger. Steyn cleans up...
...and Russell drops back to clear:
About a minute later, the game passage remains uninterrupted. England again move the ball from left to right, with Ford behind Ellis Genge. Slade and Furbank end up in the same room here and ultimately seem to get in each other's way. Note Huw Jones's starting position:
Scotland's outside center springs into action as Furbank, perhaps unnoticed by Slade, spills Ford's pass. Jones is tackled by Furbank, but frees his arms to find Van der Merwe:
Teams often try to get the ball to their fastest players in broken court situations, which makes a lot of sense. Here feeding the speed is rewarded. Van der Merwe swerves brilliantly around Ben Earl and finishes 60 meters away:
England have won back high balls to earn possession in unstructured situations but have not been significantly dangerous in transition since Jonny May's heyday between 2018 and 2020.
This was the third Calcutta Cup match in a row in which Scotland scored more kicking meters than England, but also recorded fewer carrying meters. It's just that their carry meters have counted for attempts, in part because they've controlled territory and taken opportunities.
And because Scotland's players were on the same page at crucial attacking moments, their defensive strategy also came into focus.
Balance epitomized by defensive intelligence
After the Calcutta Cup was presented to Scotland, just before driving into the tunnel, Itoje hugged Steve Tandy, Scotland's defense coach, and shared a brief word with the man who oversaw him during the 2021 British and Irish Lions tour .
Tandy is respected by many who work with him, and Saturday demonstrated why. Scotland were undone by a steady move for Furbank's try, conceding a second when Immanuel Feyi-Waboso shot clear. Overall, however, their defensive phase dictated the pace. Even when England dented them, they were able to reassert themselves.
This first example comes as Ellis Genge is tackled by Zander Fagerson and George Turner. View Tuipulotu:
He turns around the breakdown and shifts Ethan Roots with a counter punch just as Danny Care is about to pass. A static Ford is given a patch by Pierre Schoeman:
On the verge of half-time, another piece of smart defense thwarted Care. Grant Gilchrist is the man to follow:
The bruising lock helps take Roots down before he jumps to his feet and drives Ollie Chessum back. Healthcare becomes entangled in the tangle and is deemed to have knocked:
Kicking Care was also a target. Scott Cummings attempted an attack in the opening seconds of the second half:
Moments later, after a Russell chip has forced England to navigate an awkward lineout, Dan Cole is asked to carry. Schoenman presses...
...and drives his opponent as far as possible towards the sideline. All the while, Gilchrist lingers...
...and almost blocks the clearance, conceding a lineout at close range:
The Scottish platoon, and especially the back five, was balanced with a clear division of labor. Gilchrist and Cummings meshed nicely, as did the three battling starters in the back row.
Jack Dempsey's late maul turnover on Itoje made England look unwieldy:
Three different substitutes - Andy Christie, Elliot Millar-Mills and Ewan Ashman - all forced a turnover. Fixed combinations and familiarity with a game plan also help new faces establish themselves. It's a virtuous circle.
Gregor Townsend's forwards continue to dominate the Calcutta Cup partly because, relatively speaking, they are much closer to the sum of their parts than England.
