England can leave the sad Scots in tears

13 April 2012

Now for the Scots on Saturday. I lost only once to Scotland during my England career and it was a disastrous year that everyone associated with the English team remembers. It was 1990, the year of Scotland's Grand Slam. Because of that hugely emotional day, the games with Scotland that followed have an extra edge.

If anything, it's probably become even more intense after Scotland's win over England at Murrayfield last year denied Matt Dawson's team the Grand Slam. Matt, I know how you feel!

The depression that settled over me after 1990 was in stark contrast to the fun and games I enjoyed two years earlier in Edinburgh when England won 9-6. It wasn't a great game but it was my first England win and an outstanding night.

It was later that evening the Calcutta Cup turned into a plate while in the care of its two 'minders', John Jeffrey and Pc Dean Richards.

I was under a table at the after-match dinner when a few of the guys decided to take the trophy for a spin around the city. Later, I ended up inside a dry cleaning machine, because my dinner jacket was in there, and it seemed a nice warm place to rest, but that's another story.

The good times I experienced on that visit only helped make 1990 so hard to endure. We made the classic mistake of underestimating Scotland and paid the penalty. I was shouted at by jubilant locals all the way through Edinburgh airport.

However, I never lost to the Scots again and that's what I hope Dawson will be able to say when he looks back on his Test career.

There is something about Scotland that causes English teams problems. In 1994, Gregor Townsend dropped a goal with two minutes remaining. I remember looking at Rob Andrew and we were both ashen white.

Somehow (and I don't claim any captaincy miracles here), we pulled together and focused on winning the restart and then just keeping the ball until they gave a penalty away.

Rob actually handled the ball in a ruck, but they were penalised and Jon Callard kicked the long-range goal. The win could not hide the fact we had played badly and were lucky to come away with the points.

The dressing room was silent and the beers were only opened when someone came in and said Gavin Hastings had broken down and cried during the post-match television interview. That cheered us up!

This 'feeling' between the countries when it comes to rugby clashes was brought home to me two years later when I was told that in certain bars in Scotland, you could visit the urinal and aim at faces of Margaret Thatcher, Saddam Hussein or me. Apparently, I was, by far, the most popular target.

I have no doubt that the edge that I have talked about will be present at Twickenham on Saturday, particularly after last year's defeat at Murrayfield. Ian McGeechan, the Scotland coach, brilliantly plotted how to stop England and he is the best analyst around. That, plus the outstanding motivating powers of Jim Telfer, means Scotland are backed up by an awesome management team.

This year, however, I believe England will prepare a number of different game plans, as they know the Scots will have been studying how to stop their fluid style. The Scots will put the ball up on Iain Balshaw and give him a searching examination.

They will also try to pressure Dawson and Jonny Wilkinson, with tackles coming in from all over.

Whatever they attempt, the Scots have one major problem - they are very limited in attack. They lack the flair of the injured Gregor Townsend and that will be critical against an outstanding English defence. The Scots will not want to rely on the boot of Kenny Logan in this one.

I have no doubt that England will have too much pace, power, skill and motivation for the Scots this time.

MORE ABOUT

Dinner

England can leave the sad Scots in tears

Read More