England 23-29 Scotland: Borthwick era starts with painful defeat but signs better days will come

Saturday's sensational nonaccomplishment to Scotland was England's 4th successful their past six appearances astatine Twickenham but bizarrely, this time, the assemblage mightiness not caput excessively much.

That meant anticipation levels were not peculiarly precocious going into the Six Nations. As skipper Owen Farrell pointed retired aft their 29-23 defeat, the broadside had conscionable 11 days successful campy with their caller caput manager Steve Borthwick.

Borthwick himself was measured beforehand too, saying mistakes would beryllium made but that his squad would fight.

And combat they did. Huw Jones went implicit archetypal and Max Malins timed his dive to perfection to get England backmost successful it.

Duhan van der Merwe stunned anyone with the privilege of witnessing his idiosyncratic effort, and those strolling backmost towards Twickenham's pubs afterwards surely felt helium unsocial made the sojourn worthwhile.

England again clawed their mode backmost done Malins. Then they deed the front. Ellis Genge went implicit and it was Scotland holding connected done Ben White this time.

With 10 minutes remaining, England were 1 constituent up done sheer effort successful the look of Scottish belief.

So often it has been the anticipation that has killed Scotland fans, this clip it was their side's refusal to suffer anticipation that gave them yet different Twickenham thrill.

In 2021, Gregor Townsend's squad claimed a archetypal triumph astatine the venue successful 38 years. From the outset connected Saturday they looked convinced they could bash it again.

In the closing stages, that condemnation became different Van der Merwe effort and Scotland claimed back-to-back wins astatine Twickenham for the archetypal time.

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There were nary jeers from location fans astatine full-time, though.

Their broadside inactive could not amusement a wide attacking gameplan, but they did amusement glimpses of the excitement that onslaught manager Nick Evans has brought to Harlequins successful the past.

Marcus Smith's cross-field footwear led to Malins' opening try. Jack van Poortvliet's speedy alteration of absorption helped Genge over.

New defence manager Kevin Sinfield volition not beryllium blessed to person conceded 4 tries, but determination was plentifulness of endeavour too.

England's hopeless tendency to ne'er perceive the disappointment of their fans again was evident successful the mode Sione Tuipulotu rebounded disconnected a charging Freddie Steward, and successful Farrell's persistent hounding of Finn Russell.

England whitethorn not yet beryllium a winning broadside nether Borthwick but they are instantly much likeable.

They tried hard and were good beaten - and lone by a azygous precocious try.

Obviously, effort volition not support the fans connected broadside everlastingly if it does not pb to results. Japan are the lone squad England person beaten astatine Twickenham successful their past six matches there.

Thankfully for Borthwick his broadside has a precise bully accidental of getting backmost connected way fixed they look Italy adjacent play - though adjacent that could beryllium a banana tegument fixed the occurrence the Azzurri enjoyed successful 2022.

It mightiness besides springiness the caput manager an accidental to experimentation further with his selection.

There was immoderate disorder among fans astatine Twickenham pre-match arsenic to wherefore Borthwick had stuck with a Marcus Smith and Farrell operation that did not occurrence successful precocious 2022.

The concern was outshone by Scotland's superb Russell and Huw Jones, but they did play with much state than they had previously.

Number 8 Alex Dombrandt was capable to reignite with Smith the attacking nexus that the brace person finessed astatine Harlequins.

The backmost enactment had his moments but made his errors too. Balls were spilled, a restart was dropped and Borthwick whitethorn present enactment a question people implicit his name.

Others cemented their spot successful the XV. Lock Ollie Chessum yanked the spotlight distant from his second-row spouse Maro Itoje with a barrelling performance.

Malins was adjacent parts coagulated and savvy connected the wing.

Max Malins scored his archetypal planetary tries

Borthwick says each the close things. In opposition to erstwhile caput manager Eddie Jones' combative post-match style, Borthwick repeated respective times that his broadside were disappointed by defeat.

A committedness that they volition beryllium amended against Italy. Recognition that the set-piece needs work.

"England hasn't had a beardown maul for a fewer years now," helium said. "What we are going to bash is marque definite we get amended truthful we person amended weapons successful our game."

Borthwick believes the England squad that turned up astatine Twickenham successful the autumn would not person bounced backmost aft going down aboriginal against Scotland.

He is close and the encouraging cheers of England's fans successful the aboriginal changes suggested they consciousness a alteration too.

And to beryllium definite helium had the assemblage connected side, Borthwick threw successful a sweetener: "I americium disappointed for the supporters, who I thought were unthinkable for america today."

But helium was realistic too, adding that his broadside would person to spell done immoderate symptom to grow.

Given England fans endured a mediocre tally of 5 wins successful 12 Tests successful 2022, they look consenting to instrumentality retired immoderate teething niggles successful the anticipation that amended days are to come.