Leaked England team to play Scotland leaves Ollie Lawrence out of Calcutta Cup clash

Monday, 09 February 2026 at 20:08

byRugby Rucker

England look set to roll the dice on continuity for Saturday’s Calcutta Cup showdown in Edinburgh — and it’s a decision that leaves Ollie Lawrence watching from the sidelines.

Join RUCK’s Instagram broadcast channel
and get the latest rugby news straight to your phone.

Despite returning to full fitness after a knee injury, reports suggest the Bath centre is expected to be left out entirely as England prepare to face Scotland at Murrayfield.

Lawrence missed the Six Nations opener against Wales but was widely tipped to return straight into midfield contention. Instead, England appear ready to trust the backline that dismantled Wales 48–7 in Cardiff.

Backline backed despite injury disruption

The big talking point was whether Tommy Freeman would shift back to the wing following Immanuel Feyi-Waboso’s injury, but leaked team information suggests England will resist reshuffling.

Henry Arundell and Tom Roebuck — a late call-up after Feyi-Waboso was ruled out with a hamstring problem — are set to retain their spots. The Exeter Chiefs wing’s injury could yet sideline him for the rest of the championship.

Freeman’s showing at outside centre has clearly impressed the England hierarchy. His physical edge at 13 adds ballast to the midfield, while Ben Earl’s ability to cover centre — demonstrated late on against Wales — gives England an in-game safety net.

Selection sends a message

Leaving Lawrence out is a bold call, but it underlines England’s belief that momentum matters. With Scotland having won three of the last four Calcutta Cup meetings, Steve Borthwick appears keen to avoid unnecessary disruption for one of the toughest trips in world rugby.

Murrayfield has been a graveyard for English hopes in recent seasons, particularly when Scotland are able to play at speed and stretch defences wide. England’s unchanged backline suggests confidence that their improved physicality can flip that script.

Predicted England team to play Scotland

Steward, Roebuck, Freeman, Dingwall, Arundell, Ford, Mitchell; Genge, George, Heyes, Itoje, Chessum, Pepper, Underhill, Earl

[elementor-template id="208937"]

Match details

Fixture: Scotland vs England
Competition: Six Nations – Calcutta Cup
Venue: Murrayfield, Edinburgh
Kick-off: Saturday, 4:45pm (UK)
TV: ITV / STV

Prediction

This feels closer than England fans might like. Scotland at Murrayfield are relentless, but England’s new-look steel through the middle could blunt their tempo.

Prediction: Scotland 19–22 England
A late score either way wouldn’t surprise — and the Calcutta Cup drama rarely disappoints.

Rugby World Cup 2027 Full Draw: England and Wales meet again

The expanded 24-team tournament will be played across Australia from 1 October 2027, with six pools of four teams and a new round-of-16 knockout phase. With fixtures and venues now confirmed by World Rugby, attention quickly turns to how each group will unfold.

Pool A — New Zealand, Australia (H), Chile, Hong Kong China

Group summary

Pool A features tournament hosts Australia and three-time champions New Zealand, making it one of the headline groups of the opening phase. Chile and Hong Kong China will be targeting historic results, while the trans-Tasman clash between Australia and New Zealand is expected to be one of the most watched pool matches of the tournament.

Fixtures

1 October 2027 — Australia vs Hong Kong China
Perth Stadium, Perth
2 October 2027 — New Zealand vs Chile
Perth Stadium, Perth
9 October 2027 — New Zealand vs Australia
Stadium Australia, Sydney
9 October 2027 — Chile vs Hong Kong China
North Queensland Stadium, Townsville
15 October 2027 — New Zealand vs Hong Kong China
Docklands Stadium, Melbourne
16 October 2027 — Australia vs Chile
Brisbane Stadium, Brisbane

Pool B — South Africa, Italy, Georgia, Romania

Group summary

Defending champions South Africa headline Pool B and begin their campaign against Italy. Georgia continue to establish themselves as a consistent World Cup presence, while Romania return aiming to challenge for third place and possible qualification via rankings.

Fixtures

3 October 2027 — South Africa vs Italy
Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
3 October 2027 — Georgia vs Romania
North Queensland Stadium, Townsville
10 October 2027 — South Africa vs Georgia
Brisbane Stadium, Brisbane
11 October 2027 — Italy vs Romania
Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney
17 October 2027 — Italy vs Georgia
Newcastle Stadium, Newcastle
17 October 2027 — South Africa vs Romania
Perth Stadium, Perth

Pool C — Argentina, Fiji, Spain, Canada

Group summary

Pool C blends South American consistency with Pacific flair. Argentina enter as favourites, while Fiji’s attacking threat makes them dangerous opponents for any side. Spain return to the World Cup looking to make an impact, and Canada continue their rebuilding process.

Fixtures

3 October 2027 — Argentina vs Canada
Brisbane Stadium, Brisbane
4 October 2027 — Fiji vs Spain
Newcastle Stadium, Newcastle
10 October 2027 — Fiji vs Canada
Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
10 October 2027 — Argentina vs Spain
Docklands Stadium, Melbourne
16 October 2027 — Argentina vs Fiji
Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
17 October 2027 — Spain vs Canada
North Queensland Stadium, Townsville

Pool D — Ireland, Scotland, Uruguay, Portugal

Group summary

Ireland and Scotland lead Pool D in what shapes as a tightly contested group. Uruguay and Portugal bring speed and tactical variety, with qualification likely to be decided by fine margins, discipline, and bonus points.

Fixtures

3 October 2027 — Scotland vs Uruguay
Docklands Stadium, Melbourne
4 October 2027 — Ireland vs Portugal
Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney
10 October 2027 — Ireland vs Scotland
Perth Stadium, Perth
11 October 2027 — Uruguay vs Portugal
Newcastle Stadium, Newcastle
17 October 2027 — Ireland vs Uruguay
Docklands Stadium, Melbourne
17 October 2027 — Scotland vs Portugal
Brisbane Stadium, Brisbane

Pool E — France, Japan, United States, Samoa

Group summary

France headline Pool E after reaching the previous final, with Japan expected to challenge strongly for second place. Samoa and the United States provide physicality and athleticism, making this one of the more unpredictable groups.

Fixtures

2 October 2027 — France vs United States
Docklands Stadium, Melbourne
3 October 2027 — Japan vs Samoa
Newcastle Stadium, Newcastle
9 October 2027 — United States vs Samoa
Perth Stadium, Perth
9 October 2027 — France vs Japan
Brisbane Stadium, Brisbane
15 October 2027 — Japan vs United States
Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
17 October 2027 — France vs Samoa
Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney

Pool F — England, Wales, Tonga, Zimbabwe

Group summary

Pool F is defined by the renewed rivalry between England and Wales, who will meet in one of the final pool fixtures in Sydney. Tonga’s physical style and Zimbabwe’s return to the World Cup add further intrigue, with third place potentially enough to reach the knockout stage depending on rankings.