England salvage dramatic draw at Twickenham despite heroic Scotland fightback in final Six Nations game
GEORGE FORD dragged England back from the dead as they drew a crazy Calcutta Cup clash at Twickenham. Ford scored a last-second try – converted by Owen Farrell – to salvage a 38-38 draw after amazingly leading 31-0. After half an hour England were in dreamland before a tartan tidal wave turned things into an […]
GEORGE FORD dragged England back from the dead as they drew a crazy Calcutta Cup clash at Twickenham.
Ford scored a last-second try – converted by Owen Farrell – to salvage a 38-38 draw after amazingly leading 31-0.
After half an hour England were in dreamland before a tartan tidal wave turned things into an absolute nightmare for boss Eddie Jones.
Scotland hammered them with 38 unanswered points in one of the most sensational comebacks ever seen before fly-half Ford denied them a first win here since 1983.
Even though Wales had already lifted the Six Nations Grand Slam title before kick-off, Jones’ side started by showing no mercy after last year’s shock defeat in Edinburgh.
It took just 66 seconds for Jack Nowell to hammer Gregor Townsend’s side with the first of four first-half tries at Twickenham.
Going at a rate of a point a minute until the half-hour mark it was the ultimate show of running rugby and skill led by the tricks of Exeter Chiefs centre Henry Slade, who had a hand in setting up two.
Jones had promised revenge after being abused by Scots fans last season and all the bad blood of that game north of the border against the Auld Enemy.
With just over a minute on the clock Nowell had the first of the day after Elliot Daly charged forward and teed him up to beat Sean Maitland, Byron McGuigan and Nick Grigg.
Even the forwards were in on the classy stuff as a neat line out move saw hooker Jamie George throw short to Billy Vunipola who fed the ball back to Tom Curry to flop over.
Props Ellis Genge and Kyle Sinckler then went route one to smash their way through the defence and off the back of quick ball Joe Launchbury dummied to score.
At 24-0 up after just 25 minutes thanks to Owen Farrell’s pinpoint conversions and a penalty the game looked won.
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Classy Slade then set up his second after a quick penalty tap and a neat offload out of the back door for top-scorer Jonny May’s sixth of the Championship as they raced to 31-0.
Scotland hooker Stuart McInally then upset the pattern as he charged down a Farrell kick and ran more than half the length of the pitch to score – somehow even beating speed-freak May.
Scotland’s dreadful defence then looked to rub off on England as Nowell, Manu Tuilagi and Genge missed tackles for Darcy Graham to dance in for another.
Then out of nowhere a third to stun Twickenham.
Scrum-half Ali Price chased his own kick and No 8 Magnus Bradbury was there running the support line to pile the pressure back onto England at 31-19.
And it didn’t stop there, either.
In an extraordinary game Scotland came roaring back as they stuck to their guns and nabbed their own bonus-point with their biggest ever haul here.
Graham gassed Daly out wide for their fourth as the difference was all of a sudden just seven.
Straight after, Finn Russell shocked them again as he intercepted Farrell’s pass and sprinted under the posts to draw things level with 20 minutes to go as they scored 31 points of their own without reply.
Greig Laidlaw pulled a penalty chance to go ahead after another controversial Farrell no-arms tackle.
And from there it somehow got worse for the hosts.
Centre Sam Johnson spotted a gap to scream in under the posts in historic fashion for one of the greatest ever comebacks you will witness – before Ford’s late try salvaged a draw.
After dominating, furious Jones will be livid with the way his side threw away a game they had won had one so easily.
The inquest starts straight away and Jones is unlikely to take any prisoners.