England ready to pounce on Scottish complacency
OVERCONFIDENCE is likely to prove Scotland’s downfall in Saturday’s Calcutta Cup match with a revamped England side desperate to start their Six Nations campaign with a win that would help accelerate the rebuilding process following last year’s World Cup debacle, according to their coach Graham Rowntree.
Scotland have been priced up as underdogs for the Murrayfield showdown, but home advantage allied to England’s recent travails has given the hosts belief that they can inflict a first defeat on the Auld Enemy since 2008. That positivity spilled over and resulted in an embarrassing PR gaffe for the Scottish Rugby Union yesterday after t-shirts bearing the logo “Calcutta Cup. Scotland. Winners.” mistakenly went on sale and Rowntree insists England are ready to pounce should that cocky attitude be mirrored on the pitch.
“Scotland always save a passion up for us,” said forwards coach Rowntree (inset). “They will be licking their lips. No-one expects us to do well but we’ll have something to say about that.”
Meanwhile, England have released eight players from their Elite Performance squad including Matt Banahan and Thomas Waldrom.