EDINBURGH, Scotland: Scotland pulled off consecutive wins over England for the first time in 38 years with a gripping 20-17 victory at Murrayfield in the Six Nations on Saturday.
The self-belief Scotland took from its historic win at Twickenham a year ago was brilliantly backed up as it soaked up immense pressure from its own expectant full house of fans and, especially, a young England side.
Scotland seemed like it was out of the game late in the second half, as England was controlling ball and territory until a self-inflicted triple blow in the 66th minute.
As a Finn Russell cross-field kick was falling to Darcy Graham on the right wing near the England tryline, England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie rose above him and deliberately slapped the ball volleyball-style into touch.
But Cowan-Dickie was sin-binned and Scotland given a penalty try to tie the score in the rain.
Suddenly, Scotland had a firm foothold in the game again and Murrayfield refound its voice.
Scotland quickly pinned England back on its tryline and, without Cowan-Dickie, replacement prop Joe Marler threw the ball into a lineout, but not five meters. Penalty. Scotland set a scrum and received a penalty when Englands seven-man scrum collapsed.
Russell kicked over the penalty to return the lead for Scotland at 20-17 with eight minutes to go.
The Scots couldn’t let the drama end there, however.
A penalty chance for Scotland to go six points ahead with three minutes to go was overturned. England then received a penalty inside Scotland’s half but went for touch instead of the posts. Scotland stole the throw-in only to concede a scrum.
The teams set four scrums over five minutes and were into the 85th minute when England attacked off the scrum only for Graham to turn over the ball and end the contest, and give his side successive wins over England for the first time since 1983-84.
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