"Experiment failed" - Five players Steve Borthwick should drop - and who should start against Ireland - Ruck

“Experiment failed” – Five players Steve Borthwick should drop – and who should start against Ireland

Duhan van der Merwe made history for Scotland by securing the first-ever Calcutta Cup hat-trick, propelling his team to a fourth consecutive Six Nations victory over England at Murrayfield.

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The formidable winger, who had already showcased his talent with two remarkable tries at Twickenham the previous year, outdid himself this time around.

While George Furbank and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso notched their maiden tries for England, it was Van der Merwe’s clinical display that stole the spotlight, aided by Finn Russell’s flawless kicking performance, which kept Scotland comfortably ahead in what proved to be a largely scrappy encounter.

Looking ahead, here are five significant adjustments we believe Steve Borthwick should consider for the upcoming showdown with Ireland at Twickenham, following yet another subpar performance.

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#1. Ollie Lawrence

Telegraph 4/10: “Perhaps unsurprisingly was not on the same page as Ford and Slade in both attack and defence in their first game together. Badly fell off a tackle on Redpath that led to Scotland’s third try.”

Planet Rugby 4/10: “Barely saw him in an attacking sense. A few carries, one bad pass, one dropped ball – although that was George Ford’s fault – but not the form we’ve seen in the Premiership.”

RUCK 5/10: “Not what the Bath centre would have wanted upon his return from injury. The powerhouse came alive with some clattering hits, yet threw a wayward pass into touch at 76 minutes that summed up his afternoon. So much more was wanted from England fans, who were excited to see him comeback.”

Replacement: Manu Tuilagi

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