Given Scotland’s recent domination in the Calcutta Cup, can England can reclaim rugby‘s oldest trophy for the first time since 2020. Find out in our England vs Scotland prediction.
The Calcutta Cup is the oldest trophy contested by two international rugby teams, first awarded back in 1879. Likewise, England vs Scotland is the oldest fixture in international rugby, dating back to 1871, and the rivalry remains as fierce today as it was over 150 years ago.
Between 1991 and 2017, England dominated the fixture, winning 25 of 29 clashes (D1, L3). However, since then, Scotland have enjoyed a remarkable resurgence, winning five of the last seven meetings (D1, L1), including each of the last four.
Even at their home fortress, England have suffered an unprecedented collapse in dominance. They won each of their first nine Six Nations home matches against Scotland but have now failed to beat them at Twickenham since 2017, drawing in 2019 and losing in both 2021 and 2023.
Coming into this match, however, England will carry the momentum. A memorable victory over a much-fancied French outfit in Round 2 will have given Steve Borthwick’s side a big confidence boost. Meanwhile, Scotland’s all-too-familiar capitulation against Ireland, coupled with some critical injuries, leaves them with their backs against the wall.
Strengths
Kicking has long been a cornerstone of England’s tactics, and 2025 has proved no different. Through two rounds of this year’s Six Nations, they have made 84 kicks in play – more than any other side – while Scotland have made the fewest (46).
Of those 84 kicks, a competition-high 15 have been low kicks, commonly known as grubbers. It’s a tactic Steve Borthwick has employed to try to breach opposition defences near the try line.
Another area where England have excelled is the restart. They have successfully retained four halfway-line restarts in this Six Nations, while the other nations have managed just two retentions combined (Scotland and Ireland one each).
Getting your hands back on the ball in the opposition half and saving yourself an arduous defensive set is a massive bonus across an 80-minute Test match, so this is an area well worth England’s time spent on the training ground to perfect both the kick and chase.
Scotland’s breakdown work this year has been impressive, with Gregor Townsend’s men averaging the quickest ruck speed in attack of any side (3.3s). It has been crucial, too, given they have hit more rucks (235) and enjoyed more possession (58%) than any other team.
Offloading has also been a key weapon for Gregor Townsend’s men. Scotland have made 23 offloads so far, the most of any nation, with Blair Kinghorn, Jonny Gray, and Rory Darge each contributing a competition-high five. Keeping the ball alive is vital for breaking down defences, and England must be wary of this, ensuring they wrap up Scotland’s ball carriers effectively.
Weaknesses
While Scotland have generated quick ball, England have struggled to get things flowing from phase to phase. Their average ruck speed of 4.8s is the slowest of any nation. To be fair though, they have been far more effective in disrupting opposition ball, winning a competition-high nine jackal turnovers.
For all of Scotland’s possession, they have struggled to find real penetration. Their gainline success rate of 50% is the second-lowest in the tournament (Wales 49%), while their dominant carry rate of 21.1% is also second-worst (Italy 20.7%).
Scotland’s forwards have particularly struggled in this area, with their dominant carry rate dropping to 18% – the lowest of any team. A lack of go-forward from the pack can stifle attacking momentum, and when combined with high possession rates, can lead to fatigue rather than attacking gains.
Fantasy Picks
Huw Jones has been Scotland’s standout player from a fantasy perspective in the 2025 Six Nations, despite being their fourth most expensive pick. Having said that, his three tries have been a huge factor in his scoring which can sometimes create a slightly unsustainable future and might lead you elsewhere if you want reliable points.
Rory Darge is your man if you want points to put against your mortgage. Carries, tackles, turnovers, offloads, tries, the Scotland captain covers it all and his relentless work rate means he’s unlikely to let you down.
Blair Kinghorn, the tournament’s leading metre-maker, is another solid option, while Ben White and Zander Fagerson – both ranking third in their respective positions – are smart selections as well.
What Darge is for Scotland, Tom Curry is for England. Four jackals is his point of difference but tackles, carries and tries make him a perfect all-rounder. His back-row partner, Ben Earl, is the most expensive player in the game, which may deter some managers, but his impressive 29.5 points-per-game average suggests he is worth the investment.
In the backs, Tommy Freeman has done really well. Two tries and an assist have been his headline stats, but throw in some offloads (3), defenders beaten (8) and a decent tally of carry metres (143) and he makes an appealing option.
England vs Scotland Prediction
The Opta supercomputer predicts England will end their losing run in the Calcutta Cup, giving them a 71.8% chance of victory. The most likely scoreline is 29-19.
That prediction might just give Gregor Townsend – who has only lost one of seven games against England as Scotland head coach – something to pin up on the wall of the Scotland dressing room as extra motivation.
England vs Scotland Lineups
England
15 Marcus Smith, 14 Tommy Freeman, 13 Ollie Lawrence, 12 Henry Slade, 11 Ollie Sleightholme, 10 Fin Smith, 9 Alex Mitchell, 1 Ellis Genge, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3 Will Stuart, 4 Maro Itoje, 5 Ollie Chessum, 6 Tom Curry, 7 Ben Earl, 8 Tom Willis
Replacements: 16 Jamie George, 17 Fin Baxter, 18 Joe Heyes, 19 Ted Hill, 20 Chandler Cunningham-South, 21 Ben Curry, 22 Harry Randall, 23 Elliot Daly
Scotland
15 Blair Kinghorn, 14 Kyle Rowe, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Tom Jordan, 11 Duhan van der Merwe, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Ben White, 1 Pierre Schoeman, 2 Dave Cherry, 3 Zander Fagerson, 4 Jonny Gray, 5 Grant Gilchrist, 6 Jamie Ritchie, 7 Rory Darge, 8 Jack Dempsey
Replacements: 16 Ewan Ashman, 17 Rory Sutherland, 18 Will Hurd, 19 Sam Skinner, 20 Gregor Brown, 21 Matt Fagerson, 22 Jamie Dobie, 23 Stafford McDowall
Check out our other Rugby Union content on Opta Analyst. You can also follow our social accounts over on X, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook
England vs Scotland Six Nations 2025 Prediction and Preview Opta Analyst.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( England vs Scotland Six Nations 2025 Prediction and Preview )
Also on site :