England and Scotland meet in 'do-or-die' match

Guinness Men's Six Nations: England v Scotland

Venue: Allianz Stadium, Twickenham Date: Saturday, 22 February Kick-off: 16:45 GMT

Coverage: Listen live on BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Radio Scotland & BBC Sounds; text commentary and highlights on BBC Sport website and app; watch on ITV1

One week in rugby is a long time.

When a dejected England walked off the pitch in Dublin, it looked like a Six Nations title was a long way off.

A star-studded France had just put 43 unanswered points on Wales and were next up. Another loss and a title shot was all but over.

But one week was enough time to put those wrongs right as England delivered at the death to defeat Les Bleus and lift the pressure valve on head coach Steve Borthwick.

Meanwhile, following a bonus-point win over Italy in their opening game, Gregor Townsend's Scotland started their championship off with a handy five points.

One week and a comprehensive defeat by Ireland later, there is pressure to prove that game was just a blip.

England against Scotland for the Calcutta Cup is big enough in its own right, but this time round it is a must-win for both sides to keep their title chances alive.

Townsend is coaching in his seventh Six Nations and has never lost as a head coach in four games at Twickenham, with his team's dominance over England now an annual tradition.

Victory would bring Scotland a fifth successive victory for the first time in the 153-year history of the fixture.

Aside from never beating Scotland, Borthwick - in his third Six Nations - needs to prove his side can consistently beat the best, having failed last year to back up their statement win over Ireland a week later against France.

The stakes on Saturday are more than just bragging rights.

"If England don't back it up and get a win, it will be the same old questions about this team," former England scrum-half Danny Care told BBC's Rugby Union Weekly.

"They have to deliver this weekend and it's a bit of a do or die for both teams. Whoever loses is out of the tournament."

Prior to the last-gasp victory over France, England had lost seven of their past nine games - the two victories coming over a lesser Japan side.

Borthwick called for patience as his side lost games late against New Zealand and Australia in November, before falling away in the final quarter in their Six Nations opener against Ireland.

England's bench failed to provide the required punch or experience to close out the big Tests, which changed when Borthwick added his former captain Jamie George and 70-cap wing Elliot Daly to his replacements against France.

George's pinpoint line-out throw and Daly's match-winning try showed the value of nearly 200 caps in the closing stages - a tactic redeployed for Scotland's visit.

Known as a stats-driven coach, Borthwick has opted to tap into the emotional side of his players to rise to an occasion which they have consistently fallen at in recent years.

"The talk coming out of the England camp was Steve Borthwick is making the players watch past Calcutta Cup games," former Scotland captain John Barclay told BBC's Rugby Union Weekly.

"That is purely emotional and nothing to do with tactics or strategy. It is an emotional thing he is trying to get out of his players."

Four tries scored to France's three particularly pleased Borthwick, with tactical tweaks evident to make his side play faster and with more aggression in attack.

Marcus Smith's move to full-back offered another playmaker, instead of Freddie Steward's high-ball solidity, while Fin Smith proved a trusty pair of hands to steer the team from fly-half.

"England are not as physical as teams of old so have to find a different way to play," former England winger Chris Ashton told BBC Radio 5 Live.

Now that Borthwick's side have got over the line against one of the world's best, the next step of growth is to back it up and wipe any suggestions that France's inability to take three clear-cut try-scoring opportunities was the reason for victory.

In the Six Nations, Scotland remain the only side Borthwick has failed to defeat as a head coach, and given momentum is behind his side there may no better time to complete the set.

"We don't want to be a team that every once in a while wins, or when people write us off we win a game," England captain Maro Itoje told BBC Sport.

"We believe we are a talented and good team that wants to win on a regular basis."

The player central to Scotland's recent successes over England has been mercurial fly-half Finn Russell, who has been passed fit for the game at Allianz Stadium.

A nasty first-half head injury ended the 32-year-old's game early against Ireland. And his absence alongside wing Darcy Graham, who will miss the game after being involved in the collision, showed in a dominant Ireland win.

Added to the pre-tournament loss of captain Sione Tuipulotu, Townsend's depth chart has been tested as Glasgow Warriors' Tom Jordan - a fly-half by trade - is given the nod for the second game in a row at inside centre.

Tuipulotu was tipped as a nailed-on British and Irish Lion, Graham was entering that category after Italy were unable to contain his dazzling footwork in round one, and Russell is the frontrunner to wear the 10 shirt in the summer.

The recovery of Russell, who plays his club rugby at Premiership leaders Bath, is "an enormous boost to the team", former Scotland number eight Johnnie Beattie told BBC Sport.

Russell's ability to unleash devastating runners such as Huw Jones and Duhan van der Merwe has proved pivotal to this fixture.

Wing Van der Merwe has scored six Calcutta Cup tries, with last year's hat-trick leaving England's blitz defence in tatters and adding to an already impressive highlight reel.

"Finn has single-handedly brought Scotland back into some games," said Beattie.

"If Van der Merwe isn't served properly with the ball, it doesn't work. That's how important Finn is with his rugby IQ, the way he distributes and sees things others don't."

Given Scotland have not lost at Twickenham since a 61-21 mauling in 2017, that fearless attitude, married with the emotion of a fixture that has produced their best performances under Townsend, could reignite a title charge.