THE verbal sparring ahead of next week’s Calcutta Cup match at Murrayfield began in earnest yesterday when Eddie Jones, the new England coach, insisted that the home team were the firm favourites. Vern Cotter, the Scotland coach, countered by saying that England were still above his team in the world rankings – and by pointing out his injury worries about centres Alex Dunbar, Peter Horne, who are likely to be ruled out, and Mark Bennett, who remains a serious doubt.

“If you look at the World Cup results, Scotland got out of the pool and nearly made it to the semi-finals,” Jones said at the launch of the RBS Six Nations Championship at the Hurlingham Club in London. “If you look at the most recent results and performances, then Scotland has a massive advantage at the moment.

“And they have to carry that weight of expectation - which is something they’re not used to. If you made the quarter-finals you’ve done well, and Scotland will go into the game with their chests out.”

Jones has history when it comes to making provocative statements – he claimed at the World Cup that Scotland would tire in the second half against Japan, the team he then coached, when in fact they ran in five tries to win 45-10. Cotter suggested that the Australian’s remarks about the forthcoming game came from the same playbook.

“It’s just a psychological lever that he’s trying to use to take the pressure of himself,” the New Zealander said. “From what I gather England are still classed ahead of us in world rugby and I think they have large numbers of players.

“I wouldn’t think England would need that. I thought they would be comfortable with the favourites tag, but those are things are used to try and take people away from the game.

“We’re fully focused on our game and the players are looking forward to it. All the peripheral stuff will be swept aside.”

Cotter will decide next week whether Bennett is able to take any part in the game, although he is more pessimistic about the chances of the other two Glasgow centres. “Mark Bennett may be able to play, and we’ll see if his training can bring him back on to the paddock on Monday and he could make himself available for the game. Alex Dunbar and Peter Horne look unlikely to make the paddock.”

If all three are ruled out, Cotter still has two centres to choose from. After that, he could either opt to play another squad member out of position or draft in someone else.

“We’ve still got Matt Scott and Duncan Taylor,” he added. “Sean Lamont can play centre, and there are other possibilities to look at.”