You wait all that time and then they all come at once.
After 38 years without a win, Scotland have triumphed at Twickenham twice in a row for the first time ever as they showed both resilience and elan to snatch victory in the final minutes in the Guinness Six Nations opener.
Duhan van der Merwe’s second try after a thrilling breakout from their own 22 lifted the Scots to their historic victory. They’ve beaten England three times in a row for the first time since 1972.
The Scots bent considerably at times but never buckled. They took advantage of England’s disorganised defence to score three of their tries, but the fourth and clinching score was simply all Scottish brilliance.
Van der Merwe scores the difference
The Calcutta Cup is coming back to Scotland.
What. A. Game. #AsOne pic.twitter.com/US3OosLRn1
— Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) February 4, 2023
Finn Russell didn’t have his greatest game in this fixture, but he was twice involved with key passes in the crucial try.
Van der Merwe, after a rip-roaring solo score in the first half, still had much to do when he got the ball but bashed through for his third try at Twickenham in just two games.
There were heroes across the board for Scotland, not least the veteran Richie Gray who disrupted the English lineout and gave a peach of a pass for the final try.
But it was the resilience to be behind for almost the entire second half and still come through to win which will live longest in the memory.
The game was a tactical kicking contest for much of the first half. But England’s power forwards started to make inroads and led them a narrow half-time lead.
Over-cautious opening before both sides score two tries
Duhan loves Twickenham.#AsOne | @SixNationsRugby pic.twitter.com/aVD4rPtnri
— Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) February 4, 2023
Both teams looked over-cautious in the first 15 minutes, until Stuart Hogg’s turnover in the English half set them up for an impressive opening try.
A lineout throw over the top saw Russell sprung Huw Jones through a huge gap, although he seemed to hesitate with the chance. Scotland regrouped and Sione Tuipulotu’s clever grubber kick allowed Jones to score his fifth try against England close to the posts.
Russell converted, and the Scots were maybe a little unlucky to be on their heels when Max Malins’ hack ahead spun away from defenders to put the home side on the offensive.
Scotland were scrambling, and eventually the English stretched their defence as Marcus Smith’s cross-kick found Malins all alone for the try. Farrell’s conversion went wide.
The England captain’s big hit on Russell stalled the next Scottish attack. But their immediate loose exit kick gave the Scots further ammunition.
Ben White found Duhan van der Merwe standing just inside his own half. But the powerful wing left five English defenders grasping at air on a thrilling run as he thundered through for the try under the posts. Russell hit the post with the easy conversion.
England’s response was initially stalled by a couple of knock-ons. But they started to get into rhythm with deep runners punching holes in the Scottish defence.
Two minutes before half-time a series of strong runs softened the Scots and Malins got outside the defence for his second try, Farrell missing the extra two again.
England maintain rhythm, but Scotland stay in the fight
Just WOW 🤯
Take a bow @duhanvdmerwe, that was sublime!#GuinnessSixNations | #ENGvSCO pic.twitter.com/LDPDQmroxS
— Guinness Six Nations (@SixNationsRugby) February 4, 2023
However that gave England encouragement to drive forward again instead of kick out to end the half with the clock turning red.
They were rewarded when WP Nel conceded a penalty close to posts and Farrell sent England into the sheds 13-12 ahead.
The momentum had moved entirely away from Scotland as the second half begun and two penalties conceded had them again defending on their own line. Alex Dombrandt’s power running splintered the defence and eventually Ellis Genge crashed over, Farrell converting.
But Scotland caught England napping within minutes. After a careless guddle of the restart, Ben White spun out of Ben Curry’s poor tackle in the home 22 into a huge gap. He side-stepped the last defender for the third try, Russell converting.
Scotland survived a tricky situation thanks to Tuipulotu’s covering hit on Smith. But they then nearly opened England from their own 22, Hogg’s inside pass to Kyle Steyn going to ground after the wing had found space and the home side were stretched.
The crucial finish
England’s forwards resumed driving forward and Scotland were penalised trying to turnover ball. Farrell stretched the home side’s lead to 23-19, but Russell’s penalty brought it back to just a point with 12 minutes left.
Did Scotland have anything left? Sure they did.
Russell’s pass got Steyn away as Kinghorn, on for Hogg, went from deep. Although the wing was felled, the Scots moved it wide with Gray and Matt Fagerson the unlikely links for van der Merwe to bash over for his second try.
Russell converted, and while Scotland still had five minutes to see out, they did so with Jamie Ritchie snaring the turnover as time expired.
England
Freddie Steward (Leicester); Max Malins (Saracens), Joe Marchant (Harlequins), Owen Farrell (Saracens), Ollie Hassell-Collins (London Irish); Marcus Smith (Harlequins), Jack Van Poortvliet (Leicester); Ellis Genge (Bristol), Jamie George (Saracens), Kyle Sinckler (Bristol); Maro Itoje (Saracens), Ollie Chessum (Leicester); Lewis Ludlam (Northampton), Ben Curry (Sale), Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins).
Replacements: Jack Walker (Harlequins), Mako Vunipola (Saracens for Genge 61), Dan Cole (Leicester for Sinckler 61), Nick Isiekwe (Saracens for Curry 60), Ben Earl (Saracens, for Dombrandt 56), Ben Youngs (Leicester for van Poortvliet 59), Ollie Lawrence (Bath), Anthony Watson (Leicester for Hassell-Collins 64).
Scotland
Stuart Hogg (Exeter Chiefs); Kyle Steyn (Glasgow Warriors), Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors), Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors), Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh); Finn Russell (Racing 92), Ben White (London Irish); Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh), George Turner (Glasgow Warriors), WP Nel (Glasgow Warriors); Richie Gray (Glasgow Warriors), Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh); Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh, captain), Luke Crosbie (Edinburgh), Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors).
Replacements: Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors for Turner 59), Jamie Bhatti (Glasgow Warriors for Schoeman 72), Simon Berghan (Glasgow Warriors for Nel 59), Jonny Gray (Exeter Chiefs for Gilchrist 66), Jack Dempsey (Glasgow Warriors for Crosbie 59) George Horne (Glasgow Warriors for Horne 70), Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh for Hogg 66), Chris Harris (Gloucester for Jones 77).
Ref: Paul Williams (NZRU)