THE Scotland camp expect to meet an England side who are on top of their game in this afternoon’s Calcutta Cup match at Twickenham, according to Jason O’Halloran. The assistant coach is equally convinced his own players will need to be at their very best if they are to record their first victory in the fixture in London since 1983 - a result that would give them their first Triple Crown since 1990.
England have struggled at times in their three Six Nations Championship games so far, but they have won all three, and have the incentive this afternoon of equalling the All Blacks’ record of 18 consecutive Test victories. O’Halloran, who has been instrumental in Scotland’s transformation into a far more effective attacking force, does not think today’s home have in any way gone off the boil.
“I think it’s more the fact the opposition have really stepped up,” he said yesterday.. “England are a clear No 2 in the world now. They’ve got aspirations to be No 1. I think they’re just as good a side as they were last year - I just think everybody else really rises to play them.
“They’re certainly a team that’s got a big game in them, and I think we’ll see England at their best tomorrow, so we’ll need to be at our very best to match up to that, for sure.”
Scotland opted to skip the traditional eve-of-match captain’s run at Twickenham, preferring a light practice at a park opposite their hotel. England did go ahead with their captain’s run - but without centre Owen Farrell, who will have a fitness test today after being injured in training earlier in the week.
“Owen didn't train today and we're monitoring his leg injury,” defence coach Paul Gustard said. “We have until tomorrow before kick-off to make a decision, which means he has at least another 24 hours of recovery ahead of him. We'll make a call as and when we know more.”
Substitute Ben Te’o is expected to be promoted into the starting line-up if Farrell is ruled out, with Jonny May coming onto the bench. An England back line shorn of Farrell would leave stand-off George Ford more exposed, but O’Halloran insisted it would not weaken his opponents unduly.
“It may be a little unsettling for them, but they’ve got a quality player in Ben Te’o to come in for them if he was out. It will present some different challenges to us, but they’ve got some real depth.”
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