England 26 - 12 Scotland: Scottish fire doused by England

THE long wait just gets longer. This was another story of what might have been as Scotland were once again frustrated at Twickenham. If the final score flattered the home team a little, the 3-0 try count is difficult to argue with. Man of the match Riki Flutey and winger Ugo Monye both scored in the first half with Mathew Tait adding a late, late touchdown inside the last two minutes of this match.

All the Scots' points came from the boot, which should surprise no one very much. Chris Paterson kicked three penalties and Phil Godman added a long-range effort which was deemed outside of the full-back's range.

That was all the visitors managed although they played their part in a high-tempo and entertaining match. No one can question the commitment as the Scots worked their socks off in the west London heat but their finishing left much to be desired. Alasdair Strokosch in particular deserved better after putting in a stint at the coal face that was Herculean even by his impressive standards. At times he seemed to be taking on the English forwards on his own although Ally Dickinson also had one of his most effective games in the loose if not at scrum time, which wobbled alarmingly.

This match threatened to run away from Scotland in the second quarter when only some desperate defence kept England from adding to their advantage. After trailing by 18-3 early in the second half, the men in blue fought back to within one converted try of the hosts before two late scores from England, a Danny Care drop goal and Tait's late try, put this one to bed.

The Scots had chances of their own and had they made good just one or two of them it might have been a different story.

Thom Evans benefited from a turnover ball to sprint fully 60 yards up the left flank in the opening minutes of the match only for Monye to save the day for England with a quite brilliant cover tackle.

Late in the first half Mike Blair used an aimless clearance kick to launch a counter-attack right through the heart of the English defence. The little scrumhalf broke through with only Delon Armitage to beat. He looked right where Dickinson was struggling to keep up, he looked left but failed to spot Simon Danielli who was coming up on his shoulder like an express train.

One phase later Phil Godman kicked the ball dead and all the hard-won momentum evaporated into thin air.

Shortly after the interval Danielli enjoyed a canter up the right flank after Blair's quick lineout bought him a little space, before running into the last man.

Even Jason White found the English defence opening up for him in one moment that was a little surreal. England seemed to stand off the Scotland lock who understandably kept on running and made more ground than he had any right to before his pass to Kelly Brown was intercepted by Steve Borthwick's hand.

If you can't score points you had better stop the opposition from doing so and at times the Scots defence was an open door just inviting the opposition to lean gently on it for it to swing open. A poor pass by Blair to Godman was followed by a knock on which gave England a toe-hold deep inside the Scottish half. After several phases of play, the ball found Monye on the left. Danielli probably shouldn't have stepped out of the defensive line but Paterson still should have done better with his tackle as the English winger dived over in the corner with Max Evans holding on to his shirt tails.

Eight minutes later England had another score following another Scotland mistake. This time Ross Ford overcooked his lineout throw and Simon Taylor's fingertips couldn't quite keep hold of the ball which fell kindly to Joe Worsley. The flanker charged for the Scots line and, while he was held short, the ball was moved to the left where Flutey carried three Scots over the line with him.

The visitors were now on the ropes and they soaked up plenty of punishment as England went in search of that killer blow.

Flutey looked sure to grab his second touchdown until big Jim Hamilton stopped him with a one handed diving tackle. Prop Julian White drove over the Scotland line but the ball appeared to be held up off the ground by Paterson's legs and all England could manage was another two penalties, one either side of the half-time break.

The Scots looked down and out but they showed great character to work their way back into contention with two penalties from Paterson and another long-range effort from Godman to narrow the England advantage to just six points. If Scotland were to snatch an unlikely win they needed the next score but it wasn't to be.

The pace of the game and the heat in a beautiful spring day in London meant that both sides resembled nothing less than punch-drunk boxers who were unable land that knockout blow but eventually Scots flanker Scott Gray was caught offside at a breakdown in front of his own posts and, with the referee signalling a penalty advantage, scrumhalf Danny Care dropped a goal to settle English nerves.

Tait's try came with just two minutes left on the clock and once more Paterson should have done better as Hugo Southwell had to abandon his wing to tackle Armitage leaving Tait a free run to the line.

Just to add injury to insult, the move left the substitute Southwell lying prostrate on the floor having been in action for exactly two minutes. Play was stopped while the winger was wrapped in cottonwool and stretchered off the pitch. A fitting metaphor for Scotland's hopes and dreams at this graveyard of a ground.

England: D Armitage, M Cueto, M Tindall, R Flutey, U Moyne (M Tait 47 min); T Flood (A Goode 72 min), H Ellis (D Care 16 mins); A Sheridan, L Mears (D Hartley 73 min), P Vickery (J White 13 min), S Borthwick, S Shaw (N Kennedy 57 min), T Croft (J Haskell 72 min), J Worsley, N Easter.

Scotland: C Paterson, S Danielli (H Southwell 75 min), M Evans, G Morrison, T Evans (N De Luca 43 min); P Godman, M Blair (C Cusiter 66 min): A Dickinson (M Low 75 min), R Ford (D Hall 57 min), E Murray, J White (N Hines 67 min), J Hamilton, A Strokosch, S Gray, S Taylor (K Brown 40 min).

Scorers: England: Try: Moyne, Flutey, Tait Conv: Flood Pen:Flood (2) DG: Care. Scotland: Pen: Paterson (3), Godman.

Referee: Referee: M Jonker (SARU)

England
Try: Monye, Flutey, Tait

Conversion: Flood

Penalties: Flood 2

Drop goal: Care

15. Delon Armitage
London Irish

Covered most of the few Scottish attacks, was safe under the high ball and showed up well in attack early, but stray kicks were punishing for his team.

14. Ugo Monye
Harlequins

Took his try very well, and his brilliant tap tackle on Thom Evans in the opening minutes of the match was crucial for England. Replaced early in the second half, and may have been carrying a knock.

13. Mike Tindall
Gloucester

Defended well but in attack he seemed determined to bulldoze his way through the Scottish defence and to be fair he made some penetrating runs even if ignoring several overlaps.

12. Riki Flutey
Wasps

Should thank his manicurist as his fingernail stayed strong to plop down the ball for his try. Made breaks but held on to the ball too often. All round he was very good.

11. Mark Cueto
Sale Sharks

Did not like the attacking runs of Simon Danielli but was very powerful in the opening exchanges. The pity for England and the neutrals is that he didn't get more of the ball as he looked in the mood at first.

10. Toby Flood
Leicester

Missed a penalty but kicking from hand was fine and he directed play very well. It's a lot easier to do that when you have copious possession, but how would he fare for the Lions against the pressure of the Springboks?

9. Harry Ellis
Leicester

Had been showing up well but conceded Scotland's opening penalty before his misdirected tackle rendered him unconscious and saw him stretchered off the field after 20 minutes.

1. Andrew Sheridan
Sale Sharks

Much depended on him after Phil Vickery's early departure and the big fellow did not let England down in the scrum or the loose to do his chances for Lions selection a power of good.

2. Lee Mears
Bath

A very satisfying game for the hooker who threw in well at the lineout and made some barnstorming runs in loose play which almost brought England a couple of scores. May well have played his way into the Lions squad.

3. Phil Vickery
Wasps

Sadly for the veteran prop, his match finished early as he went off looking woozy after only 13 minutes. He was not missed much as replacement Julian White did well.

4. Steve Borthwick
Saracens, capt

A typical captain's performance by a player who always does more than his share. Took his lineout ball and did his chores in the loose. If only he was a bit quicker he would be the ideal forward.

5. Simon Shaw
Wasps

A quiet game by the veteran's standards but he gained his share of lineout ball and his sheer bulk was a factor in many of the mauls and rucks. Was replaced early. Could well be a first choice for the Lions in South Africa.

6. Tom Croft
Leicester

The powerful flanker did a lot of unsung work in the loose and his ball-carrying was notable. His work at the tail of the lineout was exemplary, and he has advanced his case for Lions selection.

7. Joe Worsley
Wasps

Took a couple of massive early hits but shrugged them off and was only just stopped short of the try line by Scottish tackling, though he kept the ball alive for Flutey to score. A committed performance.

8. Nick Easter
Harlequins

Not as powerful as he has been and was very guilty of holding on to the ball too long in the tackle for which he conceded unnecessary penalties, one of them converted by Chris Paterson. His high tackle on Godman was bad as well.

REPLACEMENTS

16. Dylan Hartley Northampton (for Mears, 72) No chance to show 5

17. Julian White Leicester (for Vickery, 13) Did very well. 7

18. James Haskell Wasps (for Croft, 72) No time to shine. 5

19. Nick Kennedy London Irish (for Shaw, 56) Fine in line and loose. 7

20. Danny Care Harlequins (for Ellis, 16) Played well. 7

21. Andy Goode Brive (for Flood, 71) All he did was convert. 6

22. Mathew Tait Sale Sharks (for Money, 47) Took try well. 7

SCOTLAND
Penalties: Paterson 3, Godman

15. Chris Paterson
Edinburgh

Was at fault for Monye's try, missing the tackle on the winger quite obviously. Kicked his penalties as always, but no chance to show in attack.

14. Simon Danielli
Ulster

A couple of barnstorming runs showed what he can do, but both of them ended with the ball in opposition hands as he ran out of ideas and support. Tackled well, but caught out of place at first try.

13. Max Evans
Glasgow

A couple of super early runs provoked the thought that he could have a mighty game, but like all the Scottish backs he spent most of the game on the back foot. Tackled like a tiger.

12. Graeme Morrison
Glasgow

Still seems intent on bashing his way through a defence, and you can't do that to England or any major nation. Showed up well in defence, though.

11. Thom Evans
Glasgow

Oh how things would have been different if he had just evaded Monye's tackle during great early surge. His loss, which seemed to be the result of foul play, deprived Scotland of their main attacking force.

10. Phil Godman
Edinburgh

A curate's egg of a performance, his tackling in defence being first rate but his occasional wayward kicking and wrong options let him down in attack. Not that he got much chance with paucity of ball.

9. Mike Blair, capt
Edinburgh

Tried his best to give a captain's lead and was much better than against Ireland. Still gives the impression he would be better off without the pressures of captaincy.

1. Alasdair Dickinson
Gloucester

Put under some pressure in the scrums where he seemed to struggle. Did well in the loose though and carried the ball pretty well. Hard to see him making the Lions tour on this showing.

2. Ross Ford
Edinburgh

By his standards this season, Ford was not up to scratch. A couple of bits of waywardness at the scrums, but plenty of effort in the loose play. Not his best day.

3. Euan Murray
Northampton

Possibly Scotland's best player on the day, in that he fulfilled his scrummaging role expertly and also contested well in the loose. Surely a Lion on this showing.

4. Jason White
Sale Sharks

One thunderous run in the second half showed some of his old ability to transform a match almost single-handedly. But again did not look happy in the second row, though contested the lineout well enough.

5. James Hamilton
Edinburgh

Normally a sound ball carrier, he dropped a couple when real chances looked on. Did well enough in the lineout under pressure – some of it illegal – from his opposite numbers.

6. Alasdair Strokosch
Gloucester

Always there or thereabouts, and definitely Scotland's most effective attacking forward. But like the rest of the team he was forced onto the back foot too often.

7. Scott Gray
Northampton

His long-delayed comeback was not marked with any sort of rumbustiousness. In fact he had a quietly effective game, mostly spent in defensive chores. Well worth another try at this level.

8. Simon Taylor
Stade Francais

Not a good day for the man who has often led Scottish packs to better things. Seemed to be carrying a knock from early on, and rarely showed up in his normal attacking role. Went off at half-time confirming something amiss.

REPLACEMENTS

16. Dougie Hall Glasgow (for Ford, 57) Threw in well. 6

17. Moray Low Glasgow(for Dickinson, 75) No time to show. 6

18. Nathan Hines Perpignan (for White, 67) Did well in brief time. 6

19. Kelly Brown Glasgow (for Taylor, 40) Good half from him. 7

20. Chris Cusiter Perpignan (for Blair, 66) Needs a longer game 6

21. Nick De Luca Edinburgh (for T Evans 43) Did well but made errors. 5

22. Hugo Southwell Edinburgh (for Danielli 75) On then out. 5

Ratings by Martin Hannan