"England's players normally look forward to a Calcutta Cup examination at Murrayfield with about as much enthusiasm as a trip to the dentist. At best it tends to be uncomfortable, at worst it's grip-the-chair-and-pray time. And that's before they are wheeled out into the freezing rain and the hygienist produces a set of bagpipes to enhance the experience even further."
"So it was more than a little unnerving to listen to Steve Borthwick talking about his team's genuine enthusiasm for what lies in store. Never mind all the recurring pain they have endured in Edinburgh in recent years, with three defeats in their past four visits. This time they are heading north in a strikingly different mood, flashing the kind of confident pearly white smile usually reserved for Love Island contestants."
"Twelve successive wins, including the 48-7 victory against Wales last Saturday, is far from the only one. Gone are the days, it seems, when English sides tiptoed apprehensively into town. Of course they respect their opponents, having shared a dressing room with many of them on the British & Irish Lions tour last summer, but since losing 30-21 at Murrayfield two years ago there has been a marked shift in attitude."
England approach the Calcutta Cup at Murrayfield with unusual confidence and enthusiasm following a 12-match winning streak. The team recently beat Wales 48-7 and have recorded wins in Wales and Argentina while narrowly missing victories in France and New Zealand. Past visits to Edinburgh have produced pain, including three defeats in four trips and a 30-21 loss two years ago, but the current mindset has shifted from apprehension to opportunity. Shared experience from the British & Irish Lions tour reinforces mutual respect with opponents, and the squad now finds extra motivation in winning challenging away fixtures.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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