England vs Scotland Six Nations 2025: Preview, Team News, and Prediction

Image credits: Paul Childs/Action Images/Reuters

The 2025 Six Nations Championship is heating up, and one of the most anticipated matches is the Calcutta Cup clash between England and Scotland at Twickenham. England, led by captain Maro Itoje, is looking to bounce back from a string of defeats against their Scottish rivals, while Scotland is aiming to win the Calcutta Cup for the fifth consecutive year. The match is scheduled to kick off at 4:45 pm GMT on Saturday, February 22, and will be broadcast live on ITV1.

England's recent history against Scotland has been disappointing, with four consecutive losses, including a 30-21 defeat in their last meeting. However, the team has shown signs of improvement under new coach Steve Borthwick, and their thrilling 26-25 win over France in the previous round has given them a boost of confidence. England's pack, led by Itoje and Tom Curry, will be looking to dominate the Scottish forwards and create scoring opportunities for their backs. The team will also be relying on the experience of players like Owen Farrell and Elliot Daly to guide them through the match.

Scotland, on the other hand, has been inconsistent in the tournament so far, losing 32-18 to Ireland in the previous round. However, they have a strong squad, led by co-captains Finn Russell and Ryan Darge, and will be looking to exploit England's weaknesses in the backline. Russell, in particular, has been in excellent form, and his vision and skill will be crucial in unlocking the English defense. The Scottish team will also be looking to their wingers, Duhan van der Merwe and Kyle Rowe, to make an impact on the game.

The team news for the match is that England has been forced into a late change, with George Martin suffering a recurrence of a knee injury and Ted Hill being called onto the bench. Scotland, meanwhile, has made two changes to their pack, with Pierre Schoeman and Jamie Ritchie replacing Rory Sutherland and Matt Fagerson. The Scottish backline remains unchanged, except for the replacement of Darcy Graham with Kyle Rowe. Here are the starting lineups for both teams:

• England: M Smith; T Freeman, O Lawrence, H Slade, O Sleightholme; F Smith, A Mitchell; E Genge, L Cowan-Dickie, W Stuart, M Itoje (capt), O Chessum, T Curry, B Earl, T Willis
• Scotland: B Kinghorn; K Rowe, H Jones, T Jordan, D Van der Merwe; F Russell (co-capt), B White; P Schoeman, D Cherry, Z Fagerson, J Gray, G Gilchrist, J Ritchie, R Darge (co-capt), J Dempsey

Prediction: England to win by 5 points. The match is expected to be a closely contested and intense affair, with both teams looking to assert their dominance. However, England's home advantage and their recent win over France may give them the edge they need to secure a narrow victory. The key to the match will be the battle between the two packs, and the team that can gain the upper hand in the set pieces and the breakdown will likely emerge victorious.