England lose their head as Scotland deliver Valentine’s Day heartbreak | Rugby | Sport

Henry Arundell lost his head and England lost theirs as Finn Russell made it a St Valentine’s Day massacre at Murrayfield. It was an unlucky 13 for Steve Borthwick’s men, who arrived in Edinburgh on a run of 12 wins on the spin and in their best form for six years.

But you can add this one to the list of nightmares in the Scottish capital and it is a long one which includes 1990, 2000, 2006, 2008, 2018, 2022 and 2024. Fly-half Russell put a pin in their balloon with another inspired display to make it three Calcutta Cup wins in a row at this ground. It had to be Russell, it always is, but Arundell was England’s worst enemy.

Arundell was red-carded for two yellows on 38 minutes, and his second could have been a red in its own right.

The wing ran straight into Kyle Steyn when the Scotsman was in the air and had to walk the walk of shame and join England’s hall of infamy. It was brainless and Arundell, who scored three against Wales last week, can have no complaints.

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He had already been off for 10 minutes earlier when he killed the ball with Scotland running riot. The challenge was brainless and cost England dear.

And Borthwick’s side can have no complaints either as they were beaten all over the park after being blown away early on by a Scotland side intent on making up for last weekend’s 18-15 collapse in Rome.

Wins against France, Scotland, New Zealand and Australia have all been ticked off by England, plus a series win in Argentina, as they built a run of a dozen victories on the spin.

But what they were missing was a statement win on the road, and this was the chance to do it, despite their recent Murrayfield misery. And they failed in every department.

Second best in the air, second best with the ball and second best with their kicking – this was a proper Scottish shoeing and it is back to the drawing board for Borthwick.

The first hurdle England had to negotiate was the walk into the ground off the bus where they got the traditional reception and effing and jeffing from the locals. It was the usual caper and should have been water off a duck’s back for this England side. It was an omen.

But in the face of a Scottish frenzy, led by Russell, who was properly on it, they were 17-0 down in the blink of an eye and without throwing a punch.

Russell, who had a shocker in the Rome defeat last week, was clearly up for this one – he always is – and led the charge.

Arundell’s yellow card on seven minutes, for killing the ball, cost two tries with centre Huw Jones scooting over from Russell’s pass. Then Russell’s break set up skipper Sione Tuipulotu, whose floated ball found flanker Jamie Ritchie free.

It was all hands to the pump but what did England expect? Then Arundell got his red after he had scored one to get his side back into it.

But scrum-half Ben White grabbed a third for the hosts after Russell’s kick to nothing had been fumbled in a horror moment by Ellis Genge. That was 24-10 at the break and England were out on their feet.

Still down to 14 men, England saw George Ford’s drop goal charged down by Matt Fagerson, and Jones was under the sticks for his eighth try against England – a Calcutta Cup record.

Tom Curry had come off the bench and put himself with England under the cosh. One defensive set under their own posts was a plus mark for the visitors. Ben Earl got a try at the end but it was too late.

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