02/14/26 02:17:00
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02/14 14:16 CST Scotland stuns England 31-20 at Murrayfield and snaps a 12-test
winning streak
Scotland stuns England 31-20 at Murrayfield and snaps a 12-test winning streak
EDINBURGH, Scotland (AP) --- England's 12-test winning streak was shattered by
Scotland pulling out an astonishingly one-sided 31-20 victory at Murrayfield in
the Six Nations on Saturday.
England was favored to win at Murrayfield for the first time since 2020, having
developed a mighty bench and become well-drilled and confident during its
longest winning run in nine years.
But English set-piece dominance was undone by sloppy handling in Scotland's 22,
under pressure from having to play catchup after a scintillating Scottish start.
Conducted by a masterly Finn Russell, Scotland blasted off to 17-0 after 14
minutes, its speed and slickness twisting an overburdened England into knots.
"I thought that was some of the best rugby we've every played," Scotland coach
Gregor Townsend told ITV. "It's all you want as a coach. I thought that was one
of Finn Russell's best games for Scotland and the work rate of our forwards was
superb."
England winger Henry Arundell received a 20-minute red card but his first
yellow card was the most damaging. Scotland, emotionally up for the match
against its oldest rival and out to redeem for a woeful loss to Italy last
weekend, exploited Arundell's absence in the fast start.
It was too much for England to overcome. By the time of Arundell's second
yellow card right on halftime, leading to the automatic red, Scotland was still
up by 14. In his second absence, Scotland out-scored England only 7-3 though it
was a second try for center Huw Jones and Scotland's bonus-point fourth and
last try.
"We are bitterly disappointed at that first 20 minutes, the lead Scotland got
ahead of us and playing for such a long period with 14 men," England coach
Steve Borthwick told the BBC.
"The way Scotland can move the ball to the edges without our winger it exposed
us there and it gave us too much to do."
Scotland and Townsend, on the occasion of his 100th test, were under fire all
week after Italy humbled them 18-15 in Rome.
A sixth win (plus the epic draw in 2019) against England in nine matchups, all
under Townsend, will quieten the growing clamor for him to resign, at least
until Scotland's final position in the championship becomes clear.
"There has been a lot of talk about Gregor Townsend but his players really
showed up today, they really performed and really played for Gregor today,"
Borthwick said. "They don't play like that in every single game."
Beating England has given Townsend's Scotland a best placing of only third,
leading supporters to believe the victories, while celebrated, have been used
by the team to gloss over poor campaigns.
Townsend didn't deny it: "We've given them something to shout about for the
next 12 months."
Russell in charge
Against Italy, Scotland made no line breaks. Against England, it made 10 in the
first half alone.
Arundell was coming off a hat trick against Wales but after he was sin-binned
early for not releasing, Russell's one-handed flick on with Tom Roebuck in his
face set up the opening try for Jones.
A Russell line break was followed by captain Sione Tuipulotu's huge pass to
unmarked flanker Jamie Ritchie to stroll over.
Arundell returned from the sin-bin to score thanks to George Ford, who added a
conversion and penalty, and England looked to be finding a foothold.
But Russell then switched the attack, stepped two defenders and chipped ahead.
England prop Ellis Genge made a mess of grabbing the ball and Scotland
scrumhalf Ben White took the gift over the tryline.
Right on halftime, Arundell took out leaping opposite Kyle Steyn and his second
yellow card became a 20-minute red.
Ford started the second half with a penalty; he was perfect off the tee. But
his drop goal attempt was charged down by Matt Fagerson, who collected the ball
and let Jones race to the posts at the other end. It made Jones Scotland's top
try-scorer in Six Nations history since 2000 (18), and the leading try-scorer
against England (8) in the same period.
Russell went five for five in goalkicking, a year after his late missed
conversion cost Scotland a fifth straight win over England.
England was consoled by a late converted try to No. 8 Ben Earl.
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AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby
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