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Watch: Farrell's alpha moment backfires as Scotland break 10-year Calcutta Cup drought

By Online Editors
Finn Russell. (Source/RugbyPass)

England’s 2018 Six Nations campaign ended disastrously with their lowest ever finish in 5th place, but heading into the Round three clash at Murrayfield, Eddie Jones’ men were flying high with two wins from two.

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With Scotland’s Calcutta Cup drought entering its tenth year, there was nothing to suggest England would be troubled. They had pounded Scotland 61-21 the year prior at Twickenham and had similar ambitions in mind.

With back-to-back Six Nations titles in the bag, Eddie Jones’ side was at the top of the rugby world having won 24 of their last 25 matches and wanted Scotland to know it.

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In a display of physical intimidation, England inside centre Owen Farrell caused a stir when he sparked a tunnel scuffle pre-match. The England star pushed his way through the Scottish side leaving the field, exerting his dominance as the alpha male in an effort to try and get to the changing rooms first.

The incident, unfortunately for England, ‘poked the hornet’s nest’, rousing Scotland to stand up and deliver a memorable performance on the back of some mesmerising play from flyhalf Finn Russell.

Gregor Townsend’s free-flowing wide-running rugby hit England in the face almost immediately.

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Locked at 3-all in the early stages, a fortuitous Finn Russell grubber kick confounded England’s backfield to fall in the path of Huw Jones. The Scottish centre hacked the loose ball ahead to score under the posts and send Murrayfield into party-mode as Scotland scored the first try of the match.

It was clear that Owen Farrell was after Finn Russell with the England centre ensuring Russell felt the turf after the kick. As Russell ran past to celebrate with his teammates, he made sure to let Farrell know whose day it would be with a rub on the head.

A short while later Finn Russell threw what many called the ‘greatest pass ever’ with a miraculous long floater sailing over the head of Jonathan Joseph and enter the waiting arms of Huw Jones.

The perfectly-thrown pass set Jones away downfield and with some quick organisation, Russell put Maitland over out wide for Scotland’s second try.

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Scotland’s first-half rampage wouldn’t be finished there.

A hard flat line off halfback Greig Laidlaw saw Huw Jones burst through England’s front line between Farrell and Nathan Hughes. With 50-metres to run, the centre pierced the gap between fullback Mike Brown and winger Anthony Watson, shrugging off both to score Scotland’s third try.

England struck back first in the second half with an Owen Farrell try but the deficit was too much to overcome and Scotland claimed back the Calcutta Cup for the first time since 2008.

After the match, England coach Eddie Jones said it was ‘a great lesson’ and describe his players as only human.

“We’re human beings. Human beings aren’t robots. We prepare to be intense, we prepare to be aggressive, but for some reason, we weren’t.”

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Bull Shark 3 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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