The key reason why England were able to end their Calcutta Cup misery and beat Scotland in the Six Nations

England’s ball-fetching back-row of Lewis Ludlam, Sam Underhill and Tom Curry did exactly what Scotland were able to do to them two years ago

There was a moment very early in the Calcutta Cup that offered an insight of how the encounter would eventually play out.

Last weekend, France let England enjoy little success with the ball in hand, limiting nearly the entire starting XV to fewer than 10 metres carrying and doubling up on the biggest ball threats. It meant that Tom Curry, the makeshift No 8 that Eddie Jones believes is very much the future of English rugby, was barely afforded an inch before being stopped – and all this while being England’s most successful carrying forward.

Scotland were unable to replicate that tactic, and when Curry got his hands on the ball inside the first five minutes, he was able to gain all of five metres before being hauled down. It was a sign of how Scotland were unknowingly allowing England’s back-row to grip the game by the scruff of the neck.

Along with Lewis Ludlam and man-of-the-match Sam Underhill, England’s back-row were able to out-Scotland Scotland, beating them at the breakdown, spoiling their possession in the red zone and implementing a line speed that kept the home side on the back foot.

Between the three of them, they secured five turnovers in the first half – most of which featured at least two of them and one where all three flooded through the driving maul to win back possession from a defensive 10-metre lineout. Late in the first half, England again found themselves under pressure as George Ford dropped out from the 22m line, only for Underhill to secure the swiftest of turnovers to release Elliot Daly out wide. Defence into attack, back-foot to front-foot ball, a mid-game momentum shift – these were the things that England have not done so well in recent years.

“They contributed to the game really well,” noted Eddie Jones after the 13-6 victory. “Tom and Sam were both disappointed with their performance last week, probably just a little bit off, and both of them gave significant contributions (today). And Ludlam did well and Courtney (Lawes), at six we got a good 80 minutes out of those two.”

In sealing seven turnovers in total to Scotland’s one, there is no doubting that England won the back-row battle, which was all the more surprising given how the Scots’ unit have been able to do a number on them in that area over the last two years. In 2018, Hamish Watson and Magnus Bradbury were instrumental in disrupting English possession, and last season they laid the platform for Finn Russell’s masterclass that inspired the incredible turnaround from 31-0 down to a 38-38 draw. Yet Watson and partner-in-crime Jamie Ritchie were kept at arms’ length as England not only found ways to minimise their impact with smart support runs, but showed them how it’s done in the process by pinching possession.

Jones may have decided to “no comment” questions about it, but within the performance laid a sincere vindication of his selection this week. The jury remains out on Curry as a No 8, but this was a performance of the highest degree and it’s worth remembering that the 21-year-old is not the first choice in the position, with Billy Vunipola certain to return once he recovers from injury. If by deploying Curry as a No 8 throughout this tournament he learns a few extra tricks, the Sale Sharks forward will become a better player for the experience – not to mention give England a Plan B within the squad without the need for drastic replacements.

It also means that both Curry and Underhill can remain on the field together, with this evidence that their poor showing in Paris last weekend was merely a blip given what they offered at the World Cup and what the world knows they are capable of together. By adding Ludlam into the mix, England were able to release their trio of ball-fetchers and reap the rewards as a result, and on a sunnier, dryer day in Edinburgh, the result would have been far more convincing for their effort.