Event of the Day: Scotland versus England
Our event of the day is the Six Nations clash between Scotland and England at Murrayfield in Edinburgh. After the first two rounds, England share the top spot in the table with Ireland, having won both of their matches – 46-15 against Italy and 12-6 against Wales, for nine points so far. Scotland suffered a heavy 34-7 defeat in Wales in the opening week, before bouncing back with a 32-26 win over France for their first four points and fifth position in the standings. The English side has been far superior in the last decade, winning nine and drawing one of their last ten encounters with Scotland.
Since Eddie Jones took charge of the England team in November 2015, the world number two side has won back-to-back Six Nations titles (including a Grand Slam triumph in 2016), went the entire 2016 unbeaten and equaled the world record of 18 successive wins with an emphatic 61-21 win over the Scots last March in London. Nathan Hughes will start in place of the injured Sam Simmonds at number 8. The hosts’ outside centre Huw Jones has scored eight tries in his 13 Test match appearances, including one in the win versus France in the last game. Another Scottish player to look out for is Stuart Hogg - Player of the Championship in the last two Six Nations’ tournaments. It should be a fantastic and gripping duel at Murrayfield today.
Honourable mentions around the globe go to the last day of the WTA Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships at the Aviation Club Tennis Centre in Dubai. In the big final, world number four and number one seed, Elina Svitolina from Ukraine, will come up against Russian Daria Kasatkina who saved three match points in a semi-final win over Garbine Muguruza. Also in tennis, it’s day 6 of the ATP Rio Open at the Jockey Club Brasileiro in Rio de Janeiro. In golf, it’s Day 3 of the Honda Classic at the PGA National Golf Club in Palm Beach Gardens in Florida. The table tennis ITTF Team World Cup at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London goes into the third day. Highlights of Day 15 at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang are the Alpine skiing Team Event finals, Men’s 50km Mass Start cross-country, Men’s gold and Women’s bronze medal games in curling, Men’s bronze medal game in ice hockey, Men’s Big Air finals in snowboarding and Women’s and Mens’ Mass Start speed skating finals. Elsewhere in rugby union, Bath face Sale Sharks at the Recreation Ground in Bath, in Aviva Premiership Rugby. In the NHL, the Dallas Stars host the Winnipeg Jets at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. South Africa and India meet in their third Twenty20 at Newlands in Cape Town. In the Premier League, Liverpool take on West Ham United at Anfield in Liverpool.
Whatever you’re watching, enjoy!
Fixture
Photos by England Rugby; Scotland Rugby