As you would expect from someone who donned the famous red rose on more than thirty occasions, Jamie Noon wants an England win in today’s Calcutta Cup clash against Scotland at Twickenham.

Having sampled the atmosphere, intensity and thrill of this game in the past – which in 2005 meant a man-of-the-match performance from the-then Newcastle centre – Jamie knows exactly what it takes to beat the Scots.

And today that means a performance unlike anything else England have managed in the Six Nations this far. Because while they’ve kept winning, Noon believes the English team will have to raise their game against an exciting Scotland side who roll south with nothing to lose.

“They say the measure of a good side is one that still wins when it doesn’t play well. If that’s the yardstick, then England are a very good team because they’ve stuttered along during this campaign,” says Noon, capped 38-times, and who now lives and works in France as an agent.

“I remember matches against New Zealand where you’d put a few points on the board, think everything was sweet, and then they’d knock them off and win in the last few minutes. England are a bit like that – but I’m sure Eddie Jones would much have the games won earlier and easier.

“England held up well against the French to win at Twickenham. There is a pressure playing there, because the expectation is to win. Even from my time in the team, it was a bit of a fortress and winning your home games was a must.

“The French were a bit of an unknown package, but we saw them off and then faced Wales who could have had the game won and probably would have against anyone other than England, who because of their strength in depth, could play the entire 80 minutes and eventually, they ground the Welsh down.

“Another win, but being honest, one that had to be fought for. Then in the last match, against the Italians, England spent half the game trying to work out what Italy were doing at the breakdown. International rugby is all about thinking straight and thinking quickly, and England did neither until half-time. Another side could have been further in front.

“It did look, that for all the preparation, there was no Plan B, but, teams have tried it in the Super 12’s, so it should have been countered quickly and decisively.

“As it was, England pulled another couple of rabbits out the hat and eventually won by a few points, but it was never comfortable.

“Now with Scotland next up, England can’t afford slow starts, or to get tied up, because the Scots really do have a team that’s full of talented guys, with tricks and plays and confidence.

“I have really liked watching Scotland this year, because they’ve played with a freedom that is seldom seen in Test rugby, or in the big club tournaments, because coaches are fearful of trying things that don’t come off or get them results.

“I do wonder if Vern Cotter has just thrown the shackles off and the normal conventions in the bin and gone for broke, knowing that he has nothing to lose.

“That seems to have rubbed off on the players, because they really have been willing to try things – and it has paid off. Stuart Hogg, Finn Russell, these guys have played up to their potential and reputation and that is a hard thing to do. Hamish Watson has been outstanding, as have the Gray brothers. They, and the fact Scotland’s overall game has just clicked, makes them very dangerous opponents on Saturday.

“It has been great to watch, especially the first half against Ireland and the second 40 minutes with Wales. All very exciting.

“England meanwhile, appear stifled, even nervy. They have a fantastic record they are trying to preserve, and a Grand Slam in their sights. But they are playing a dangerous game if they think just wearing teams down will be enough. You will need to pull points on Scotland because they could do that to you from anywhere on the field.”

In 2005, Noon showed how to do it when he ran in a hat-trick of tries against Scotland in a 43-22 win, a special occasion, made even more so by a special event a few weeks earlier.

“It wasn’t a great championship for England. Wales took the Grand Slam and ‘that’ Gavin Henson penalty meant we got off to the worst possible start and we toiled. You do put those things aside playing Scotland though.

“My wife had brought our son, Lewis, to the match. He’d only been born two weeks earlier, so it was a special game for me for that reason, but you also have the pride and honour of playing for your country. As it was, it really couldn’t have got any better for me, getting the three scores.

“There was an amusing twist to that tale, because when Mike Blair, a great Scotland scrum-half, signed for Brive, we invited him to a barbecue we were having. Lewis, around 8 years-old by this time, said that he knew Mike from somewhere, but didn’t know how.

“Then he recalled seeing an old video I had of the Scotland game in 2005, where I brushed Mike off to score one of the tries. At least he saw the funny side of it.”