"Massive" - George Ford looks ahead to Calcutta Cup fly-half battle with Finn Russell

A commanding 48-7 dismantling of Wales at Allianz Stadium extended Steve Borthwick’s side’s winning run to 12 matches, yet Scotland have proven awkward opponents. England have won just two of the last eight meetings, with their most recent victory at Murrayfield coming back in 2020.

Last year’s encounter was settled in dramatic fashion by a late Fin Smith penalty, and England will again hope to harness that sense of momentum as they look to defend the trophy and build towards a pivotal trip to face Ireland the following week. George Ford, Player of the Match against Wales, starts at fly-half and will line up opposite Finn Russell in one of the most intriguing individual battles of the Six Nations.

Ford is well aware of Russell’s influence, but he is careful not to reduce Scotland’s threat to a single name. “We’ve played against each other loads whether it’s international level or Premiership level. The skill set and unpredictability he brings to the game are obviously a massive part of what they do.

"But sometimes if you focus too much on one individual in a 15-man game it can catch you out a little bit,” Ford said. He stressed that England’s focus must be collective. “They’ve got other threats across the field so we’re putting as big emphasis on not just the one individual but how we can take things away from their game and, obviously, how we can impose our game as well.”

The contest also reflects a broader trend in modern rugby, where fly-halves are increasingly judged on their ability to thrive in chaos. Ford sees that as part of a wider evolution.

“With the game as it is now there are a lot of transition moments. Those unstructured parts of the game are when teams look more dangerous and the 10s are a big part of that,” he explained, pointing to France and England’s own attacking bursts against Wales as examples. Russell, he acknowledged, excels in that space too.

England’s tactical flexibility has been further underlined by Ben Earl being named as a potential option in the centres, with England deploying a 6-2 bench split. Ford played down the disruption such a switch might cause.

“Not a lot, really. We practice it enough in training. Ben, physically, could pass as a centre,” he said, highlighting Earl’s athleticism and defensive range. More broadly, Ford believes rugby union is embracing hybrid players. “Everyone is morphing into some sort of hybrid player at the minute. It’s great for the game because of the options it gives you.”

That adaptability was forged in difficult moments, notably the intense York training camp in 2024 after defeat to Scotland, which preceded a famous win against Ireland. Ford views those experiences as crucial. “There are always certain instances and games along the way where you probably learn a lot more than you do from other games,” he said, crediting Borthwick’s relentless attention to detail.