England move on up into title mix with canny win

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Scotland miss late kick to win as England hold on to win Calcutta Cup

In golf, round three is "moving day". Its a tournaments watershed, where contenders rise and pretenders are washed away.

You cant win the title on moving day, they say, but you can certainly lose it.

Round three duly proved to be where England and Scotlands Six Nations fortunes diverged dramatically.

With leaders Ireland wobbling to a win in Cardiff, France Dublin-bound and the prospect of Italy and Wales to come - both distinct bonus-point birdie chances - England are in the title mix.

Scotland are not.

It is a big difference decided by margins of a single point and few millimetres.

England have spent much of the past six months on the wrong side of those final quarters and narrow scorelines.

Now, after shocking France at Twickenham a fortnight ago, they have found a happy habit of finding a way to win as the match teeters, nerves strain and muscles stiffen.

There were other similarities to a fortnight ago.

Scotland, like France, moved the ball with dexterity and speed that England aspire to, but seldom achieve.

The visitors dominated the attacking stats. They had more possession and territory. They made 13 trips to the opposition 22m, compared to Englands four. They made nine line breaks to two. Nearly 200m more metres with ball in hand. Thirty-five defenders beaten compared to 10.

You could go on. And doubtless some Scotland fans will as they pick over the pieces of another defeat in which their endeavour and good intentions went to waste.

Frenchman Pierre Broussets refereeing of the breakdown, where England won seven turnovers, and the scrum - where the hosts picked up three penalties - might also be part of the inquest.

Finn Russells screwy kicking performance, in which three potentially decisive conversion shots slipped by, wont escape unnoticed either.

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Not this time - Russell misses late conversion

The victors prerogative, though, is to point to the scoreline. And England will do just that.

For 154 years of past rivalry, recent episodes of enmity and the three weeks ahead of these sides, that is what mattered in this fixture.

"Its always personal," said England captain Maro Itoje in the week.

It certainly looked it when the words stopped and the action started.

For a long time, Scotland captain David Soles slow walk to the 1990 Grand Slam was dredged up to inject some sting into a clash that was rarely much of a contest.

No longer.

You dont need Ryan Wilsons 2018 tunnel trash talk. Or even Russells post-try taunting of Owen Farrell on Scotlands last trip to Twickenham., external

Scottish hackles had been raised enough by the suggestion that they - winners of the past four meetings - would be bullied out of the game.

Duhan van der Merwe was, once again, seismic. White shirts seem to act like red rags to the rampaging wing.

He helped set up Scotlands first two tries, celebrating in the face of former Worcester team-mate Ollie Lawrence after Huw Jones has crossed, before scoring their third.

His pack met England at the gainline again and again. Scotland were never outfought, but perhaps they were ultimately out-thought.

Itoje was a menace around the breakdown, turning over ball and putting a spanner in Scotlands attacking spokes as the referee let play flow.

In the second half, England stemmed the flow of deep kicks that fed Van der Merwe, Blair Kinghorn and Scottish belief.

Itojes decision to keep the scoreboard ticking over, rather than kicking to the corner was, just about, proven right as England rode their narrow cushion home.

Fin Smiths judgement in taking responsibility for Englands decisive long-range shot at goal was also spot on.

Englands kick-heavy tactics werent always to Twickenhams taste. There were audible groans at points as Fin Smith and Alex Mitchell took to the skies, rather than spin wide.

Had Russells late conversion dropped the other way, there was little in their style that would have been much consolation.

"Is it the type of game we want to play? No," said England coach Steve Borthwick afterwards.

"But there are two teams out there and Scotland are a very good team and we have to find a way to win."

"There is loads for us to get better at," admitted Itoje.

"Scotland probably played more than us but we were more clinical than we have been.

"There is a feeling we are going to score, so we just need to find ways of being there more and then we will execute more."

As well as bringing the games most extravagant bit of tableware back to the Twickenham trophy cabinet, that is what this win does.

It keeps England in the room. It buys them time. It gives them another shot. It takes their title challenge to another week.

Moving day is done and they are not.