Borthwick: We gave them too big a start

by | Feb 15, 2026 | African Golf News

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England coach Steve Borthwick says Scotland deserve “huge credit” for Saturday’s 31-20 win at Murrayfield while lamenting wing Henry Arundell’s time in the sin bin.

Scotland delivered a barnstorming Six Nations victory to end England’s 12-game winning streak and scupper their hopes of a Grand Slam.

Centre Huw Jones twice crossed England’s line to make it eight tries in eight Tests against the Auld Enemy, the centre’s double coming each side of scores from Jamie Ritchie and Ben White.

Arundell hit back for England, but only in between receiving two yellow cards in the first half – which led to a 20-minute red – before a late consolation try from Ben Earl.

“Clearly, playing such a huge part of the game without a winger against a team that was moving the ball to that edge so much, that hurt us,” Borthwick said. “Henry’s disappointed, as all the players are, but I’m sure he’ll bounce back.”

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Scotland made a superb start to lead 17-0 after just 16 minutes.

“What’s typically been happening over the last period of time is we’ve slowly reeled teams in,” Borthwick said. “When we played against New Zealand and were 12-0 down, we reeled them in gradually.

“Unfortunately, we gave [Scotland] too much of a head start and gave ourselves too much to do today.”

His opposite number Gregor Townsend had come into the match following a dispiriting 18-15 loss away to Italy in their Six Nations opener – a defeat that raised fresh questions about his team’s ability to cope with adversity.

But Townsend said he had become a fan again after a stunning win.

“I’m so proud,” Townsend told reporters after Scotland’s fifth win in six Tests against England.

“Being a supporter, seeing the rugby that the players were playing, I had to realise I was a coach again, and I snapped out of it quite quickly.”

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It was a superb way for Scotland to mark Townsend’s 100th match as their coach, with the 52-year-old former playmaker’s position already called into question prior to the Italy defeat after by November’s spectacular loss at home to Argentina, where his side somehow squandered a 21-0 lead.

“These are the emotions that make you realise that coaching, and still being involved in the game is hugely rewarding, gives you massive purpose in your life and why you do it,” said Townsend. “But it’s the players that drive our performance.”

Townsend, reflecting on the fallout from losing to the Pumas, added: “The negativity from people in this room [the media] around what happened against Argentina, experiences like that make you stronger.”

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But Townsend’s nine years at the helm have failed to end Scotland’s record of never finishing higher than third in the Six Nations, with captain Sione Tuipulotu urging no let-up against struggling Wales in Cardiff next week.

“I really want us to show our growth next week by backing up this performance, and let’s be honest, in a stadium that we’ve had troubles in over the last 20 years,” said Tuipulotu.

– AFP

Photo: Stu Forster/Getty Images

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