Itoje glad of England’s ‘hair-raising’ win over Scotland

Scotland had been getting ready to sustaining their maintain on the Calcutta Cup when spectacular wing Duhan van der Merwe sprinted over for a 79th-minute attempt that took the Darkish Blues to inside some extent of victory.

However co-captain Finn Russell fired the conversion try vast of the left put up, and he was additionally off beam after Ben White and Huw Jones crossed the hosts’ line in a match the place Scotland outscored England three tries to 1.

England turned spherical simply 10-7 behind at half-time following Tommy Freeman’s transformed attempt however two Marcus Smith penalties and a long-range effort from Fin Smith gave them simply sufficient of a lead.

Victory additionally meant England maintained their Six Nations title hopes after their second straight one-point win following a 26-25 Twickenham overcome France.

“We’re completely delighted,” stated Itoje. “Scotland are a prime crew and so they performed effectively once more at the moment. They threw an entire load of adverse questions and situations at us and I am simply very proud that the boys caught in there and we discovered a approach to win.”

Lock ahead Itoje, talking alongside balding England coach Steve Borthwick, added: “All these experiences construct the character of the crew and hopefully we will carry on constructing however it will be good if it wasn’t so slender on the finish.

“We’ll work exhausting to maybe attempt to make it a bit of bit simpler for Steve. I feel extra of his hair would possibly fall off if we hold doing this.”

Borthwick’s aspect face Italy and Wales subsequent month as they appear to maintain tempo with unbeaten leaders Eire, bidding for an unprecedented third successive Six Nations title.

“I used to be delighted within the final two video games that the endings have gone our manner and the crew labored exceptionally exhausting for that,” he stated.

“In some ways it wasn’t fairly and there have been issues we would clearly need to do in a different way, do higher, however finally they discovered a approach to win the sport.”

Questions had been raised over whether or not Freeman had grounded the ball for his attempt however the tv match official felt there was inadequate proof to overturn the choice of French referee Pierre Brousset, making his Six Nations debut in entrance of a crowd of over 80,000. – ‘Excellent kicker Russell’ –

Scotland coach Gregor Townsend, reflecting on the choice, stated: “I did not actually have a look at it, I heard the coaches say it wasn’t grounded.”

Townsend, in the meantime, backed “excellent goal-kicker” Russell to stay within the function regardless of his trio of misses.

“No, I do not assume so,” he stated when requested about relieving Russell of goal-kicking duties.

“Finn is and was an impressive goal-kicker. He was final season and so they had been powerful kicks at the moment.”

Scotland, with Van der Merwe inflicting chaos in England’s defence, had been the higher aspect for a lot of the sport but solely led by three factors on the interval.

“Usually when you’ve got that quantity of stress on events to attain factors, you get extra on the board, in order that’s a piece on,” stated Townsend, whose aspect subsequent play a Wales aspect on a run of 15 straight defeats for all their much-improved show in opposition to Eire earlier Saturday.

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