Scotland v England Calcutta Cup Match Review

Pete - Mr. England
By Kath 21/2/04
February 22 2004

England won the 2004 Calcutta Cup against Scotland at Murrayfield. This puts them top of the Six Nations championship table on points over France.

England won the Calcutta Cup!

It has to be said fairly this was not England's best performance and that Scotland came out firing on all cylinders for this  historical seasonal Calcutta Cup match.  

It was no use Sir Clive Woodward saying during the week - things like, we are professional now, we don't hark back to olden days - "The hype that goes into the newspapers, especially from some of the ex players who build it up beyond what it really is, is something that happened in the past but we're only interested in what happens on the pitch".

Well I think we could see from the outset what happened on the pitch,  Scotland were well and truly up for this game and their coach Matt Williams seemed to go OTT at the try they scored against England.  

However, England won and that is what Champions do!  They win!  If the opposition gift them tries due to handling errors, well hey that is part of the game.

England need to move up a gear for the next match against Ireland though!      Match details...............

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1min  - in and some very dodgy moments for England - Scotland piling on the pressure from the start.

2mins - Scotland have a penalty awarded from Balshaw's attempted kick away and the ball being held by England taken by Paterson and Scotland 3 up in minutes.

4 mins - England first kick off, putting on the pressure - lots of kicking back and forth.

11mins - Scotland making a mess of things and Ben Cohen went over for England's first try Grayson converts. 3 - 7

14mins - Scotland gave away easy Penalty to England - taken by Grayson.  Whilst Grayson was taking the penalty - the sound of 'Swing Low Sweet Chariot' rang around Murrayfield much to the disgust of the Scottish fans who started booing -but the English fans kept on going and you could still hear them above the booing - Grayson converted the Penalty the booing did not put him off.  3 - 10

Scotland made a number of changes all the way through the first half for blood bins and injuries.

18mins - England's defence holding well on the 5 meter line - England clearing the ball away.

22mins - Scotland awarded a penalty - taken by Paterson.  6 - 10

25mins - Another easy penalty for England - Scotland's no13 coming in from the side taken by Grayson  6 - 13

29mins - Another messy moment for Scotland - some doubts as to possible knock on but Balshaw went over for the simplest of tries conversion by Grayson.  6 - 20

32 mins in - Scotland coming back and putting lots of pressure on England but not enough!

37mins - England went up the middle of the field picking and driving to the 5m line again - then Gomarsall overcooked his kick and the effort was really wasted.

Half Time Scotland 6 v England 20

Again Scotland ringing the changes due to injury and England's defence very strong in the midfield area in particular.

47 mins - England again piling on the pressure Greenwood kicked ball through then Scotland attempting to clear had the ball charged down and Josh Lewsey (RBS Man of the Match), went over to score a Try.  Grayson missed the conversion. 6 - 25

52min - Scotland throwing the ball around far better than last week - they have improved 100% since last week's performance against the Welsh.  England however, holding them.

54mins - Dawson on for Gomarsall.

56mins - Scotland finally broke through England's defence with at Simon Danielli Try converted by Paterson.  13 - 25

59 mins - England making changes Shaw on Kay off and Swing Low once again ringing out around Murrayfield.

62mins - Professional Foul by Scotland's Simon Taylor - he is sin binned for 10mins - England penalty taken by Paul Grayson and converted. 13 - 28

65mins - A wonderful powering run from Danny Grewcock going over for a Try and Grayson again converts. 13 - 35

68mins - England have an excellent rolling maul going up towards the Scottish line but Lawrence pushed into the goal post and the ball cleared away finally by Scotland.

74mins - Scotland still trying to pull some points back, awarded a penalty but going for touch - England too strong for them and the ball cleared.

81mins - Whistle full time.

Final Score Scotland 13 v England 35