Edinburgh – England will be looking to maintain their lead atop the Six Nations table when they face Scotland on Valentine’s Day, but history suggests a tough challenge awaits them. The last time England secured a victory on Scottish soil was in 2020.

Scotland Aim to Spoil England’s Six Nations Run

England currently lead the Six Nations standings after round one, but a win in Edinburgh will be far from guaranteed.

  • Since 2018, Scotland has won five of the last eight matches between the two nations.
  • England secured a 13-6 victory in their last visit to Edinburgh in 2020, a match impacted by torrential rain.
  • The Calcutta Cup, the trophy at stake, dates back to 1872 and a match between players from Calcutta RFC.
  • Gregor Townsend’s Scotland will be eager to bounce back after a loss to Italy in their opening match.

Steve Borthwick’s squad travels north to face a Scotland side that has consistently proven a difficult opponent in recent years. While England traditionally dominated this rivalry, the tables have turned since 2018, with Scotland claiming five of the last eight encounters.

The match takes on added significance for Scotland, who are determined to rebound from their opening-round defeat against Italy. Gregor Townsend’s team will be fueled by the home advantage and a desire to prove their capabilities.

England currently hold the Calcutta Cup, having narrowly defeated Scotland at Twickenham in 2025. But the question on many fans’ minds is: when did England last taste victory on Scottish turf?

Owen Farrell of England celebrates following the 2020 Guinness Six Nations match between Scotland and England (Getty Images)

The answer takes us back to 2020, when Eddie Jones guided England to a 13-6 victory. That win ultimately paved the way for England to lift the Six Nations trophy later that year, following the completion of fixtures after pandemic-related disruptions.

The match itself was a tightly contested affair, heavily influenced by persistent rainfall. A single penalty from Owen Farrell in the first half gave England a narrow 3-0 lead. The second half saw a back-and-forth exchange of penalties, with Adam Hastings adding two for Scotland and Farrell responding with another.

Ultimately, it was Ellis Genge who broke the deadlock, powering over for the game’s only try with just 10 minutes remaining, securing the win for the visitors.

That result brought an end to a two-year period where Scotland had held the Calcutta Cup, having defeated England in 2018 and drawing with them in 2019.

The Calcutta Cup itself is steeped in history, originating from the Calcutta RFC, a team formed in India in 1873 following a Christmas Day match in 1872. It’s believed that 20 English and 20 Scottish players participated in that inaugural game.

The victors of Saturday’s match will proudly lift the historic trophy in front of the passionate Scottish crowd. While England may enter the contest as favorites based on current form, they will be acutely aware of the challenge posed by a determined Scotland side on their home ground.