Carling: Scotland fixture is special

Relations between the two teams were civil off the pitch - no matter what happened on it - at a time when the Rugby Football Union and the Scottish Rugby Union were engaged in the game's version of the Cold War.

It made for some very frosty but rather amusing after-match dinners and the players often warmed themselves by enjoying the whisky that was left on the tables for us.

I am sure David and Finlay will take a lot of stick for fraternising with the Auld Enemy this weekend but the Six Nations is all about meeting old friends, sharing a beer and boring each other with the same moth-eaten anecdotes. We are also having dinner with Welsh hero Ieuan Evans after the game - unthinkable!

Attempts to change the championship worry me because it is the jewel in the crown of Northern Hemisphere rugby and we must protect our international treasures.

I can understand the arguments for condensing the programme because the season is too disjointed and television demands a schedule it can sell to the viewers for the millions it puts into the game's coffers.

While the Rugby World Cup has become the pinnacle of the game, the championship is still very special and the Southern Hemisphere has tried to mirror the tournament by starting the Tri-Nations series.

What you cannot replicate is the history surrounding the event and the inclusion of Italy has broadened the championship's appeal and added another great away trip - Rome - for fans to enjoy.

While many aspects of a match between Scotland and England remain as passionate as that day in 1990, I believe there has been a fundamental change in the fixture.

Twelve years ago, the match was played in the old stadium, with its open terraces right up to the pitch. Now, the new stadium provides the backdrop and from my experiences on and off the pitch, the noise is not as daunting and the crowd is, thankfully, that much further away.

No doubt the Scots fans will turn up on Saturday with megaphones now that I have made this observation, but the old stadium had a special and very intimidating atmosphere. Of course, one way to negate even megaphone carrying Scots fans is for England to get early points on the board on Saturday. In order to do that, England must be focused, intense and completely prepared for all the tricks the Scots are going to throw at them.

This should be England's first step towards a Grand Slam, although you cannot help feeling that might be tempting fate yet again. England have set out on the road to a Slam on three successive occasions only to lose their way at the very end and that's been a huge disappointment for all concerned.

There is a danger that great play-ers like Neil Back and Richard Hill could end their careers without ever having experienced the joy of winning a Slam and that is why I fervently hope 2002 is the year they finally make it.

Perhaps Martin Johnson and his team should walk out at Murrayfield on Saturday. It worked for David Sole! But they might not get the same reaction.