Borthwick defiant after uninspired England edge Scotland

Boos rang out at Twickenham when England scrum-half Alex Mitchell launched yet one more field kick into the air early in Saturday’s second half.

It was an indication of the house followers’ frustration with England’s kick-dominated strategy.

Scotland, much more threatening with ball in hand, outscored England three tries to at least one, albeit none had been transformed.

And England 2003 World Cup winner Will Greenwood, in his Telegraph column, mentioned of Borthwick’s males: “They merely play no rugby…The strive tally was a damning indictment of the attacking capabilities of this England facet.”

However Borthwick hailed his crew’s resilience following their first Calcutta Cup victory since 2020.

“It is not essentially how we want to play, however there are two groups on the market and we discovered a solution to win,” he mentioned.

“I do know typically by way of the commentary everybody talks about one crew , however we respect there have been two groups on the pitch.”

Former England captain Borthwick added: “I have been very clear that I would like the crew to play with ball in hand, to assault with it, to be courageous and aggressive, however there’s one other crew making an attempt to cease you and they’re fairly good at it.

“That was a totally completely different sport to at least one that we performed in most up-to-date instances, it was an actual tactical arm-wrestle in the course of the pitch.

“Finally Scotland are sturdy in defence, sturdy on the breakdown and take the sport to this kicking sport.” – ‘Makings of a very good crew –

Borthwick, a former lock, insisted: “You have to be superb and really even handed about whenever you run the ball and I believed the gamers did it effectively. I am happy the crew discovered a solution to adapt and located a solution to win.”

Scotland ran riot within the early levels however nice defence by England, who made 206 tackles within the sport, helped them to a second one-point win in a row this Six Nations following a 26-25 defeat of France that ended a run of seven straight losses to top-tier opposition.

“I might level out how exhausting the crew run for one another, which is unquestionably one thing that is developed,” mentioned Borthwick, whose facet will likely be anticipated to provide a much more emphatic show once they resume their championship marketing campaign in opposition to Italy, thrashed 73-24 by France in Rome on Sunday, at Twickenham on March 9.

“I am a believer that you simply get again what you place in. I am a believer that in case you preserve making an attempt to do the precise issues, in case you preserve working exhausting, you’ll get rewarded.

“It is the best way I used to be introduced up, it is the best way I consider in. So that is what we’ll proceed to do. There’s the making right here of a very good crew.”

Again row forwards Tom Curry and Tom Willis suffered a useless leg and concussion respectively in opposition to Scotland, whereas full-back George Furbank but to function on this Six Nations is unlikely to play any half in any respect within the event due to a damaged arm.

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