SCOTLAND'S bid to make history by ending a 36-year wait for success at Twickenham fell one point and one year short, but Stuart McInally and his men took all the plaudits at the end of the most extraordinary match in the sport’s history.
It was the first time Scotland had successfully defended the Calcutta Cup since 1984, the year after the team’s last win at this venue, a feat they came tantalisingly close to completing before England replacement George Ford dived under the posts for the match levelling score.
Their recovery from a 31-point deficit to lead as the match moved into injury time was of a different order to anything previously witnessed, drawing comparison with France’s comeback in the 1999 World Cup semi-final at the same venue to beat the Jonah Lomu inspired All Blacks.
Wales had meanwhile set a new Test rugby record in the opening match of this Six Nations Championship by coming back from a 16 point deficit to claim the victory in France which sparked their Grand Slam triumph, that they were celebrating as the teams took the field in London.
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However instead of the expected anti-climax, the 82,023 in attendance were treated to a spectacle of the highest order as two teams that had every reason to feel demoralised at different stages in the afternoon, instead produced their finest rugby of this and many previous championships.
For half an hour an England team that had discovered immediately before leaving their dressing room that their hopes of snatching the title on the final day had gone as a result of Wales’ demolition of Ireland, played as if they had everything still to play for.
In that period they registered the fastest four try bonus point in the history of the competition, beating their own record set the previous week, as they ripped the Scottish defence apart at will.
Only 66 seconds were on the clock when Elliot Daly took advantage of a defensive malfunction, as Sam Johnson jumped out of the line is bidding to get to Owen Farrell and put Jack Nowell in for their opening try.
Eight minutes in and Billy Vunipola started a close range lineout drive which the Scots barely slowed down before he fed back-row colleague Tom Curry, who touched down.
Joe Launchbury was next to strike, the lock spurning a two man overlap to get his name on the scoresheet and, after Ben Youngs was denied a score, then Farrell strangely opted to kick a penalty inside the 22 with that bonus point within range, they then claimed it when Henry Slade sent Tom May clear on the left.
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It seemed rather embarrassing when Scotland’s replacements then celebrated with their captain after Stuart McInally charged down a Farrell kick inside his own half, recovered the ball, then powered to the line since it felt at that stage as if all he was doing was preventing his side from being nilled.
The hunger he showed in holding off two English backs who were trying to run him down, proved inspirational however, giving his side a foothold as they headed down the tunnel at the interval.
No-one could have begun to believe what would happen after it, however, Scotland coach Gregor Townsend admitting afterwards that the summit of their hopes at that stage had been to salvage some respect and win the second half.
Instead, the dancing feet of Darcy Graham set the tone for the second period, finishing off some fine interplay among the backs to score a 46th minute try and when Ali Price then chipped the ball in behind the England defence, re-gathered and sent Magnus Bradbury in from 30 metres, they were within range.
Even then it seemed unimaginable that they could get right back into the match, but by the time Finn Russell, fired a huge pass to Graham to let him score his second, belief was surging through the team.
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Russell then intercepted opposite number Farrell to score the try which levelled the match and even after replacement scrum-half Greig Laidlaw pushed a difficult penalty opportunity wide, the momentum was still with the visitors.
Their stand-off, now in his element, then created the score which put Scotland ahead, fixing the English defence with his eyes as he made as if to pass the ball behind Sam Johnson before putting the centre into a gap.
The centre still had plenty of work to do, but his jinking run took him past three defenders and under the posts.
Ultimately there was to be a cruel twist of fate as, with time running out, Fraser Brown was harshly penalised close to halfway, allowing England one last chance to set up the winning score.
Their initial efforts were repelled, a fine saving tackle by Adam Hastings on Daly preventing a score in the corner, but with the referee playing advantage for another Scottish offence, they could afford to keep shifting the ball and Ford eventually found his way through to be England’s only scorer of that pulsating second half, converting his own score to leave Scottish supporters wondering whether it was an occasion they would long celebrate or forever regret.
The answer is surely that it was a bit of both, but it was a match that will never be forgotten by anyone who witnessed it.
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