England Seeks to Continue Momentum Against Scotland
After a much-anticipated victory over France, England is looking to maintain their positive trajectory with just one change to their lineup as they prepare to face Scotland at Twickenham this Saturday. Leicester’s Ollie Chessum will take the field alongside captain Maro Itoje in the second row, adding extra strength to the line-out and enhanced mobility on the ground. George Martin will move to the bench as a result of this strategic shift.
Chessum, who typically plays in the second row for his club Leicester Tigers, has been a viable option for England throughout the Six Nations. Although he has often been utilized as a blindside flanker and a third line-out jumper for his country, this match presents an opportunity to leverage his skills in his primary position.
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This tactical adjustment is a response to Scotland’s similar strengths, setting the stage for what promises to be an open and entertaining clash. On the bench, England features a 6-2 split of forwards and backs, with Martin joined by back-rowers Chandler Cunningham-South and Ben Curry.
Head coach Steve Borthwick has shown confidence in Chessum, who had to miss the autumn series due to injury. His impact was evident during his 20-minute stint in the narrow 26-25 victory against France, where he successfully executed several line-out takes and made significant runs into contact.
In the back division, Borthwick has opted to retain the combination of Fin Smith at fly-half and Marcus Smith at full-back from the match against France. This decision comes following England’s first victory over a top-tier opponent since March. The continuity in the lineup is not surprising, particularly with George Furbank still sidelined due to injury. Borthwick appeared pleased with the dual-playmaker strategy, although there were moments where Smith, playing in an unfamiliar position, struggled with certain aspects of his game.
As England looks to capitalize on the attacking potential of the two Smiths, the focus will also be on their goal-kicking duties. With the Six Nations title still in contention, England must continue their winning streak, although Ireland currently holds the favorites’ position.
Scotland, led by head coach Gregor Townsend, will announce their lineup on the more traditional Thursday, and they boast an impressive recent record against England, having secured victories in their last four encounters. Since 2018, Scotland has claimed five wins and a draw in seven matches against their rivals. However, their momentum was slightly dampened after a solid win over Italy at Murrayfield, which was followed by a 32-18 defeat at home to Ireland in the second round of this year’s Six Nations.
England XV and Replacements to Face Scotland
- 15. Marcus Smith (Harlequins, 41 caps)
- 14. Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints, 17 caps)
- 13. Ollie Lawrence (Bath Rugby, 33 caps)
- 12. Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 71 caps)
- 11. Ollie Sleightholme (Northampton Saints, 6 caps)
- 10. Fin Smith (Northampton Saints, 8 caps)
- 9. Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints, 20 caps)
- 1. Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears, 68 caps) – vice-captain
- 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks, 46 caps)
- 3. Will Stuart (Bath Rugby, 47 caps)
- 4. Maro Itoje (Saracens, 90 caps) – captain
- 5. Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers, 25 caps)
- 6. Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, 58 caps)
- 7. Ben Earl (Saracens, 39 caps)
- 8. Tom Willis (Saracens, 3 caps)
Replacements:
- 16. Jamie George (Saracens, 98 caps) – vice-captain
- 17. Fin Baxter (Harlequins, 7 caps)
- 18. Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers, 9 caps)
- 19. George Martin (Leicester Tigers, 21 caps)
- 20. Chandler Cunningham-South (Harlequins, 12 caps)
- 21. Ben Curry (Sale Sharks, 8 caps)
- 22. Harry Randall (Bristol Bears, 12 caps)
- 23. Elliot Daly (Saracens, 70 caps)
