Scotland coach Gregor Townsend has urged his side to use the agony of their desperately close defeat by England to fuel the remainder of their Six Nations campaign. "We were very close to getting a historic win and whether it was a kick or another decision at the end of the game,

The Calcutta Cup was seized from Scottish hands through a 16-15 defeat that would have ended differently had Finn Russell nailed a late conversion.

In the aftermath of the win over Italy at the start of the Six Nations a straightforward question was put to Gregor Townsend, Scotland’s head coach. “What do you have to do to beat Ireland, Gregor?” The reply from Townsend was quick and came with a smile.