England determined to end Calcutta Cup ‘hurt’ and avoid unwanted history

By Andrew Baldock, PA Rugby Union Correspondent

Alex Mitchell admits that England are “hurting” following a record-equalling run of four successive defeats against Scotland.

Gregor Townsend’s team will eclipse sequences achieved between 1893 and 1896 and during the early 1970s if they triumph at Allianz Stadium next Saturday.

The Calcutta Cup has been in Scotland’s possession since 2021, and another win would derail England’s momentum gained from a thrilling 26-25 victory over France.

“We are hurting the last four years,” England scrum-half Mitchell said. “It’s not nice to lose that many on the bounce.

“It is a massive rivalry, and obviously the last couple of years we’ve not come out on top, but it is a fantastic game, always a massive Test match.

“The atmospheres are always huge, and for me these are the games you want to play in and the biggest games of your career, so personally I can’t wait.

“I wouldn’t say there is a monkey on our back at all. Obviously, we need to respect quality opposition with quality individuals, but we just need to look after our game-plan and our performance.

 

“I have actually got one mate from school who is from Scotland, so he always gives me a bit of grief. If I am playing, he is going to come down and wear his Scotland top.

“I don’t know why I am going to get him a ticket – I probably shouldn’t.”

Northampton star Mitchell has become a mainstay and pivotal figure in England head coach Steve Borthwick’s plans.

He won his 20th cap in the win against France, and he is likely to be a driving force during remaining Six Nations appointments with Scotland, Italy and Wales.

“We have two groups – the young group and the old group – and I now go off with the old group, so I don’t really like that,” Mitchell added.

“It’s nice just to give them (new players) little pointers here and there of what is best to do in these situations. Everyone is different.”

Not only did Mitchell play a key role as England claimed a first success against France in the last four meetings, his battle with Les Bleus’ mercurial number nine Antoine Dupont proved a fascinating contest of its own.

“We found a way, and I think that is going to be huge for our confidence,” Mitchell added. “We know we are a quality side, but you need results at the end of the day. That is the business.

“A lot of the quality players just go about their business and are so good at it. It was quality to play against someone like that.

“I managed to get his top after the game, which I was pretty buzzing with. I don’t know if I will frame it next to my one, but yeah, maybe I will leave it for the end of my career and look back at it.

“He just tries to get involved with everything. If you watch him, whether it is attack or defence, he just wants to be on the ball.

“Defence, he wants to make an impact. He is willing to put his head everywhere, and he always wants to be involved because he is so good.”