ANOTHER victory against England is long overdue for a steadily improving Scotland team, according to one of the men who was on the winning side in the 2008 Calcutta Cup match. Graeme Morrison, who also played in the 2010 draw between the teams, believes Scotland’s dismal record in the fixture is not an accurate reflection of the merits of the players on either side.

“It’s quite alarming and surprising almost, because while I feel there has been a bit of a gulf between England and Scotland, it doesn’t feel it [the record] should be like that,” said Morrison, who is now an accountant with RBS, the title sponsors of the Six Nations. “Scotland have got a really good crop of players coming through who do it week in, week out for the clubs, so it’s really time to build on the confidence they got from the World Cup.”

Now 33, the former Glasgow centre believes the deciding factor when the teams meet at Murrayfield on Saturday will be the same as it was in that 15-9 victory eight years ago – a strong defence. “I’d started to really pride myself on defence at Glasgow and knew that was one of my strengths and something I could bring to Scotland. The whole team were huge defensively that day.

“When England come up to Murrayfield, the time of year it is and just the occasion makes it usually quite a turgid affair, especially if the heavens open just before kick-off – which they usually tend to do. It’s such a tense encounter and one that turns into an arm wrestle, especially at Murrayfield. The team that makes the least errors and defends the best tends to come out on top in those ones.

“England had players like [Lesley] Vainikolo on the wing that they were trying to bring in, and it was a wet day at Murrayfield, and that probably played into our hands a bit. When that final whistle went, it was a very special moment.

“It was my first start for a couple of years. After the Matt Williams reign, I didn’t make the squad in Frank Hadden’s time, so that was a massive game for me, and to come away with the win is one of the best memories I have in rugby.”

In addition to that tenacious and well-drilled defence, the other factors behind Scotland’s win were the successful kicking – Chris Paterson landed four penalties, Dan Parks the fifth, while England could only counter through three Jonny Wilkinson kicks – and the ability of the whole team to keep a clear head throughout the game. Morrison can recall the times when games against the English seemed to be all about passion, but he believes that in the modern game, clinical execution plays a far larger role in victory than emotion – even if winning against England still tastes sweeter than any other result.

“You do remember the emotion of Braveheart times, and I think those times are past now,” he said. “It’s a professional game and it’s two really good rugby nations competing against each other. There is a bit of emotion there – they’re our close rivals and neighbours – but you just have to prepare as if you’re preparing for any other international game.

“There’s always added spice when it’s the opening game, at home, against England who are coming off the back of a disappointing period. They’ve got a new coach and new squad, and they’re coming up with everything to prove. Scotland are coming off a good World Cup and can take that confidence into the game. In the past, Scotland have maybe not performed well in the first couple of games and have finished further down the table.”

The celebrations, too, are calmer in the professional era than they once were, as Morrison remembers.

“My dad had flown over from Hong Kong for the weekend, and for me to get back into the squad and win a game like that was just incredible.

“It wasn’t a crazy night – we still had the tournament to play in – but I remember walking into bars and restaurants in Edinburgh and people getting on their feet and applauding. That really lifted the players: you see what effect it has on the nation.”