Vern Cotter is swiftly becoming acquainted with the sheer magnitude of his task in knocking Scotland into some sort of competitive shape as he lost his second key figure of this star-crossed RBS 6 Nations campaign.
Alex Dunbar may not be as visible as Richie Gray but he’s every bit as crucial to Scotland’s game plan, and the best that can be said now that the centre is out for the season after a simple accident in light training yesterday morning is that at least we’re more than accustomed to heading to Twickenham with zero expectations.
There is a quality replacement for Dunbar in Matt Scott, but the Edinburgh centre’s taken something of a step back this year after a prolonged spell out after shoulder surgery.
His missed tackle on Jonathan Davies when on as a replacement in the Wales match was crucial in the Lions centre’s key try in that game, and although Scott did show something of his best form for his club at the weekend with two tries, that was against Treviso’s seconds.
Cotter was already shuffling partly through necessity. Jim Hamilton, thought by many to be on the cusp of being omitted altogether and he probably would have been had Grant Gilchrist and Gray been fit gets a recall for his extra oomph, experience and knowledge of the English forwards.
David Denton also brings greater ball-carrying presence to No 8, although one suspects Cotter would really prefer Adam Ashe, who is only on the bench after passing a fitness test yesterday morning.
Ross Ford passed a morning fitness test as well, indicating the patched-up nature of the pack, but the changes in the backs Finn Russell returning after suspension and Dougie Fife instead of Tim Visser for another casualty, Sean Lamont were straightforward.
They have gone for a 6-2 forwards-backs arrangement among the replacements meaning that three injuries there will probably result in Johnnie Beattie relegated to the bench – lining up in the centre. Don’t laugh, worst-case scenarios have to be taken seriously with Scotland right now.
“Johnnie could be marking Billy Twelvetrees or Billy Vunipola,” admitted Cotter. “We want to have some physical intensity and some experience at the end of the match
“Johnnie and Adam Ashe, who has come back and has aggressive defence and is good on the ball, are there to put pressure on England. We want to stay close and finish this game strongly.”
However, the magnitude of the task requires no further illustration.
“England are a big physical team and they play a very percentage-orientated game, based on occupation, field position and a strong pack,” said Cotter.
‘They also have very good finishers in their team, strong runners, line breakers. So they are a team based around their power, their line-out and their scrum. We’ve been looking at trying to compete and put them under pressure in what they consider to be their strong points.
“If we can contest there and keep the game as tight as possible for as long as possible, you never know.”
Reports of Cotter being “brutal” at reviews of the Italy match were overstated, he said.
“Those things are always a little exaggerated,” he said. “We were just very clear on what we want to see and what we expect. We need to learn from certain things, that was the theme behind this week’s training.
“But we were two minutes away from lauding the character of a young team for getting out of a tough situation. In some ways it has been a bit of a blessing because we can really look in depth at things that may have been ignored.
“We have had a good look at ourselves. The coaches, the players, everybody.”
The occasion, and a reaction from two weeks ago, should provide the necessary motivation, he continued.
“There is the Calcutta Cup and the result two weeks ago, and there has been more of an edge to training,” he said.
“It is always nice to have an objective. We are two days away from playing for something that we could bring home.
“It has been a few years (since Scotland won at Twickenham). No one is giving us much of a chance.
“I can understand that, but we will be measuring our improvements from two weeks ago and those things will help us develop our game and become more competitive.”
Denton will make his first start for Scotland since the Cardiff rout at the end of last year’s 6 Nations due to a mixture of concussion, hamstring and calf injuries. Fife again gets the call for an away match he’s yet to be capped at Murrayfield but it’s due reward for “energy and enthusiasm” as well as his superior play under the high ball.
Sean Maitland did rejoin the squad this week but was ruled out of contention earlier in the week.
Team: Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors); Dougie Fife (Edinburgh Rugby), Mark Bennett (Glasgow Warriors), Matt Scott (Edinburgh Rugby), Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors); Finn Russell (Glasgow Warriors), Greig Laidlaw (Gloucester, capt); AQlasdair Dickinson, Ross Ford (both Edinburgh Rugby), Euan Murray (Glasgow Warriors); Jim Hamilton (Saracens), Jonny Gray (Glasgow Warriors); Rob Harley (Glasgow Warriors), Blair Cowan (London Irish), David Denton (Edinburgh Rugby).
Replacements: Fraser Brown, Ryan Grant (both Glasgow Warriors), Geoff Cross (London Irish), Tim Swinson, Adam Ashe (both Glasgow Warriors), Johnnie Beattie (Castres Olympique), Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, Greig Tonks (both Edinburgh Rugby).