| Venue: Twickenham Stadium Date: Saturday, 4 February Kick-off: 16:45 GMT |
| Coverage: Listen on BBC Radio 5 Live; follow live text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app. |
Former England head coach Eddie Jones believes Scotland fly-half Finn Russell will be decisive in the result of Saturday’s Six Nations fixture.
Russell will start at Twickenham, where Scotland claimed a historic victory on their last visit in 2021.
Jones – now Australia boss – was sacked in December after a poor 2022 and replaced by Steve Borthwick.
“If Finn Russell plays, he gives Scotland an outstanding chance to win,” Jones told the podcast ‘EDDIE’.
“[However] it also means that if England get on top, Scotland will probably get hammered because he will keep taking risks under pressure and will give England more opportunities to score.”
Jones also commented on the relationship between Russell and head coach Gregor Townsend. Townsend, a former fly-half himself, has dropped Russell from his squad in the past.
“Gregor Townsend was an older version of Finn Russell and that’s probably why him and Finn Russell don’t get on,” Jones added.
“He sees Finn Russell in the mirror – doesn’t want to listen to the coach, wants to do it his own way, [Finn thinks] ‘what does he know, just let me play because I want to play’. They butt heads.”
Jones’ prediction for the match was that England would win by three points with an Owen Farrell penalty decisive. Her also suggested Scotland’s “chaos” would come up against an “organised” England.
He also referenced different coaching styles, saying: “They are two very good coaches – Steve is methodical, Gregor more wants to do different things, wants to play the game differently.”
