England have secured their first win over this year’s Six Nations with a 13-6 victory over Scotland at Murrayfield this evening in a game that was disrupted by the blistering weather conditions.
The opening of the game was as scrappy as it gets with neither team able to get going due to the swirling wind and rain.
England captain Owen Farrell showed how tough the conditions were on eight minutes when he failed to take advantage of a penalty kick, sending the ball to the right and wide.
However, two minutes later and he made up for that miss by slotting over a penalty to make it 3-0.
Scotland looked the more likely to score next but couldn’t make the most of their territory with simple errors and turnovers costing them.
Farrell had the chance to double his side’s lead with 26 minutes on the clock, but once again failed to grasp the direction of the wind sending the ball to the left of the posts this time.
Neither team could find a way through over the remainder of the half as it finished 3-0 to England come the half-time whistle.
Scotland dominated the possession and territory early in the second period and were rewarded with a penalty five minutes in which Adam Hastings smashed between the posts to draw the sides level at 3-3.
Farrell missed another penalty with a quarter of an hour remaining, but England put the pressure on from that moment and were rewarded five minutes later as substitute Ellis Genge barged over the line from close range with the help of some of his fellow forwards. Farrell made no mistake this time around with the kick beside the posts to make it 10-3 with only 10 minutes to go.
Scotland cut the lead to seven points with two minutes on the clock as Hastings kicked another penalty, but it was too little too late for the Scots as the visitors held on for a narrow victory.
Next up for Scotland is a trip to Italy in search of their first win of the tournament in two week’s time, while England play host to Ireland as they try to continue their hunt for a championship title.
Player Ratings
Scotland Starting XV:
Stuart Hogg (7), Sean Maitland (5), Huw Jones (6), Sam Johnson (7), Blair Kinghorn (6), Adam Hastings (7), Ali Price (7); Rory Sutherland (7), Fraser Brown (6), Zander Fagerson (6), Scott Cummings (6), Jonny Gray (7), Jamie Ritchie (6), Hamish Watson (7), Magnus Bradbury (7)
Replacements (6)
England Starting XV:
George Furbank (6), Jonny May (5), Jonathan Joseph (5), Owen Farrell (7), Elliot Daly (6), George Ford (6), Willi Heinz (5); Mako Vunipola (5), Jamie George (6), Kyle Sinckler (6), Maro Itoje (6), George Kruis (6), Lewis Ludlam (6), Sam Underhill (7), Tom Curry (7)
Replacements (7)
