Six Nations: Vunipola brothers on England bench for Scotland clash

Following the training session, England head coach Eddie Jones gave a short and sharp update on the 26-year-old. It all starts up front and then we can let loose the backs.

If Farrell is ruled out, England’s most likely course of action is to bring Ben Te’o in at inside centre and hand goal-kicking duties to fly-half George Ford.

We have the backs now who are scoring good tries – people like Stuart Hoggy, Tommy Seymour, Tim Visser had a great game against Wales, Alex Dunbar is so reliable, Finn Russell, these guys have something about them.

A bigger emphasis for Scotland will be to clear out England at the ruck as quicker as possible to make sure they don’t concede a turnover and to ensure quick ball.

“I think he’ll be OK but we’ve got plenty of back-ups so it’s not a worry”.

When it was pointed out that his answers could be construed as ambiguous, Jones added: “Yeah, but I think he’ll be all right, is that okay?”

Even so, it’s still expected that Farrell will be passed fit for the game, where he will possibly join reinstated teammates Ben Young, Jonathan Joseph, and Jack Nowell.

The first step towards redemption will be early Saturday, local time, when last year’s runner-up takes on Ireland, one of two teams left who can spoil everything England has to celebrate for.

Meanwhile, Scotland can clinch the Triple Crown with victory, but have not senn off England since 2008 and their winless Twickenham record dates back to 1983.

“Scotland have got some good players, but then every team does”. Even the attractive spring weather in Bagshot could not distract from the untimely training ground knock suffered by Owen Farrell, nor a odd, prickly press conference grudgingly given by Eddie Jones.

‘Since Vern came in we have come on leaps and bounds and we will go out there at Twickenham believing in ourselves.

England host Scotland in the fourth round of the RBS 6 Nations looking to continue their unbeaten run in the 2017 Championship, while also extending their winning record to 18 matches. He has also handled nine full internationals matches and most recently Ireland’s famous win over New Zealand in Chicago in November. He says Saturday’s matchday squad is “probably the strongest” they have picked “for a long time” and like questions over the whiteboard, he dismissed any notion they are starting games poorly.

Yet there seems an awareness that this is a visiting side that, much more than most of those that have visited Twickenham in the 34 years since Scotland last won here and certainly in the 28 years since defeat was last avoided, is seen as having a real chance.

When is England vs Scotland?