Chris Robshaw: Will captain an inexperienced England side

Chris Cusiter: Says that Scotland ‘simply have to win’ against England

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England’s inexperienced line-up will be put to the test when they open their RBS Six Nations account with the Calcutta Cup clash against Scotland at Murrayfield.

Stuart Lancaster has named a starting XV that has a total of just 233 international caps between them, with the hosts boasting a team that has accumulated over double that number.

Scotland have also not lost to England in their last three meetings at Murrayfield, but the home side still go into the showdown as underdogs.

Head coach Andy Robinson has made eight changes from the side that lost 16-12 to England in Scotland’s last match of the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

Lee Jones is handed a debut on the wing while lock Jim Hamilton, flanker Ross Rennie, No. 8 David Denton, scrum-half Chris Cusiter, fly-half Dan Parks, centre Nick De Luca and full-back Rory Lamont are also promoted to the starting line-up. Ross Ford will captain the side.

In contrast to England, there have not been sweeping changes to the set-up with Jones and Edinburgh team-mate Denton the only members of the starting XV who did not travel to the World Cup in New Zealand.

Much of the talk in the Scotland camp has focused on finally delivering on the strides made under Robinson and scrum-half Cusiter says that losing is no longer an option.

“It’s good for us to play England first up – the occasion and the excitement around this game is good for us to hopefully start well,” Cusiter said.

Near misses

“We haven’t had a great record in the Six Nations over the past couple of years. We’ve had so many near misses and close losses that we have to win some games.

“We realise how important tomorrow is and how important it is to get off to a winning start.

“We’re determined to have a successful campaign in the Six Nations and tomorrow’s such a huge game in that regard that we simply have to win.”

England will field three debutants in their starting line-up on Saturday, with five more uncapped players being named among the replacements.

No. 8 Phil Dowson and centre pairing Owen Farrell and Brad Barritt will be playing for the first time at Test level, with Rob Webber, Geoff Parling, Ben Morgan, Lee Dickson and Jordan Turner-Hall poised to join them at some point during the contest.

Fly-half Charlie Hodgson ends his international exile while wing David Strettle also makes his return to the England side.

The pack features a relatively experienced front row, while Saracens lock Mouritz Botha wins his second cap alongside Tom Palmer in the second row.

Flanker Chris Robshaw will captain England for the first time, joining Tom Croft and Dowson in the back row.

Scotland: 15 Rory Lamont, 14 Lee Jones, 13 Nick De Luca, 12 Sean Lamont, 11 Max Evans, 10 Dan Parks, 9 Chris Cusiter, 8 David Denton, 7 Ross Rennie, 6 Alasdair Strokosch, 5 Jim Hamilton, 4 Richie Gray, 3 Euan Murray, 2 Ross Ford (capt), 1 Allan Jacobsen.Replacements: 16 Scott Lawson, 17 Geoff Cross, 18 Alastair Kellock, 19 John Barclay, 20 Mike Blair, 21 Greig Laidlaw, 22 Graeme Morrison.

England: 15 Ben Foden, 14 Chris Ashton, 13 Brad Barritt, 12 Owen Farrell, 11 David Strettle, 10 Charlie Hodgson, 9 Ben Youngs, 8 Phil Dowson, 7 Chris Robshaw (capt) 6 Tom Croft, 5 Tom Palmer, 4 Mouritz Botha, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Dylan Hartley, 1 Alex Corbisiero.Replacements: 16 Rob Webber, 17 Matt Stevens, 18 Geoff Parling, 19 Ben Morgan, 20 Lee Dickson, 21 Jordan Turner-Hall, 22 Mike Brown.

James Anderson: Full of praise for Pakistan’s bowling unit

James Anderson believes he and his fellow England bowlers could have a crucial part to play with the bat after 16 wickets fell on a dramatic first day of the third Test in Dubai.

Anderson claimed three wickets, and new ball partner Stuart Broad took four, as Pakistan were bowled out for 99 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

But with England reduced to 104-6 at the close, to lead by just five runs, Anderson believes the bowlers could come to the rescue before the first innings is over.

Anderson told Sky Sports HD1: “It’s very hard for us, they’ve bowled fantastically well throughout today and throughout the series and have put us under pressure.

“It will be down to the bowlers to score some runs.”

Delighted

Anderson, not out on three with skipper Andrew Strauss unbeaten on 41, added: “We have a lead, a slim one at the moment.”

Anderson admitted he had expected both sides to score more runs when he got his first look at the pitch before Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq won the toss and opted to bat.

“It looked a really good batting pitch when we first came here this morning.

“We were delighted after the start we had. We were just looking to tie things up.”

With Broad making the early inroads Anderson felt it was down to him to keep the Pakistan batsmen from scoring at the other end.

Anderson said: “We both bowled nicely and got our rewards for putting the ball in the right area. When Stuart kept picking up wickets there I was trying to bowl dots at the other end.”

Two down in the three-match series, England need to avoid defeat in this match or they could lose their number one Test ranking to South Africa.

Pocock: Looking forward to the challenge

Australia international David Pocock has been named captain of the Western Force for the upcoming Super 15 season.

The openside flanker takes over from veteran Nathan Sharpe, with the impressive 23-year-old stepping straight into the role for the start of the new campaign next month.

“I think it’s a huge honour to captain a side, particularly one that I’ve been involved with for quite a while now,” Pocock said.

“It’s a big challenge but exciting at the same time and I’m looking forward to be given the opportunity to further contribute to the team.

“I see being a leader first and foremost as leading by your actions, however I know that there is a lot more to it and that’s all part of the learning experience.

“I feel very fortunate to have been able to watch and learn from someone like Sharpie. He has had a huge influence on me.”

First choice

Sharpe, who will continue to play on at the Force this term, said Pocock was the stand-out choice as new skipper.

“The level of David’s performances for the Western Force has been exceptional and I think that will also prove to be the case as he applies himself to the role as captain,” Sharpe said.

“I’ve seen him grow from a talented kid who joined the club straight out of school to become a game-breaking player in both Super Rugby and for the Wallabies.

“David is a remarkable young man and a good friend. I will help him in any way that I can now and into the future.”

The Force kick off their 2012 Super Rugby campaign with an away game against the Brumbies on Friday, February 24.

Andy Murray: Bounced back from a slow start

Andy Murray overcame a stuttering start to reach the second round of the Australian Open with a four-set win over Ryan Harrison.

The world No.4 was broken three times as he dropped the opening set on Hisense Arena against the highly-rated teenager.

However, Murray regrouped well to secure a 4-6 6-3 6-4 6-2 victory to keep the flag flying for Britain at Melbourne Park.

And Murray praised Harrison afterwards, saying: “I remember when I was in that position when I was younger and there was no pressure on me. He came out and played some great tennis and I really had to dig in.

“He is one of the up-and-coming guys and I was expecting a tough match and that’s what I got.

“I started to play better towards the end of the match, I had a few nerves at the start.”

“He is one of the up-and-coming guys and I was expecting a tough match and that’s what I got.”Andy Murray Quotes of the week

Harrison, ranked 77 in the world, had rattled off four games on the bounce to lead 5-2 in the opening set before Murray threatened a comeback by holding on to his own serve and then breaking the American.

However, the Scot failed to consolidate the break as he lost his serve for a third time – with Harrison moving into a one-set lead.

Scrap

The match, though, seemed to turn on the fourth game of the second set – with Murray seizing the advantage as he secured a crucial break at the third attempt.

Murray, who saw all five of his fellow Brits crash out on Monday, went on to level the match, before claiming another early break in the third set.

The 19-year-old Harrison refused to let Murray have things his own way as he continued to scrap for every point.

But although Harrison continued to frustrate Murray – with the British No.1 only able to take the one of eight break-point chances – he couldn’t prevent him serving out for the set.

Harrison had the chance to draw first blood in the fourth set but he missed his opportunity and Murray him pay as he broke to move 2-1 ahead.

A second break followed in the seventh game before a relieved Murray served out the match.

Murray will now face Frenchman Edouard Roger-Vasselin in the second round on Thursday.

Roger-Vasselin came though his clash against Xavier Malisse – with the Belgian retiring after losing the first set 7-6 (8-6).

Joe Hart: Admits Premier League leaders Manchester City are feeling the pressure

Goalkeeper Joe Hart admits Manchester City are feeling ‘the pressure’ at the top of the Premier League but insists they are still the team to beat.

Roberto Mancini’s leaders could only manage a goalless draw at West Brom on Boxing Day, failing to score in the league for the first time this season.

Neighbours Manchester United beat Wigan at Old Trafford to close the gap on their local rivals, with the title challengers now separated on goal difference only.

Hart concedes City are feeling the heat in the top spot and felt it showed at the Hawthorns, where Albion strikers Shane Long and Peter Odemwingie threatened throughout.

He said: “Of course we feel the pressure. Everyone felt the pressure from West Brom. We felt the pressure from Odemwingie and Shane Long .There is all sorts of pressure.

“But we’re applying pressure as well, which is what makes it so good.”

Favourites

Despite that admission, Hart still sees City as favourites to lift the trophy this season.

Questioned about the Blues’ title credentials being under scrutiny, the 24-year-old England keeper said: “Let them make a lot of what they want.

“We’re top of the league, still playing well, still creating chances. We’re the team to beat and we’re enjoying that.

“It’s not always going to be as easy as we’ve made it look, and that was proved.

“The league is not set up for us to win it. Everyone has their private little things that they’re doing – if they’re not challenging for the title they’re challenging for Europe, if they’re not challenging for Europe they want to stay above the relegation zone, so everyone has got their own agendas and that makes for a great league.”

Hart refuses to be downcast over dropping points at West Brom, adding: “At the end of it, we want to be winning games but if you aren’t winning it’s still nice to have that cushion of being top of the league. You have got to earn this title. It’s hard work.”

The BBC Sports Personality of the Year programme is an institution, and, like all institutions, it is a magnet for criticism, the most damning of which might be professed indifference.

A lot of people now dismiss it as an irrelevance. They argue that it treats sport as a branch of the entertainment industry, with all the glitz of Strictly Come Dancing and none of the grit of the sports field. Or it is dismissed as a popularity contest, one that goes to embarrassing lengths to reveal the ‘personalities’ of its shortlisted sportsmen, while dwelling frustratingly (blink-and-you’ve-missed-it) briefly on what they actually do.

Cavendish: Eyeing futher honours

We all slag it off. But we talk about it. And then we sit down and watch it. That’s another thing about institutions: once you’re locked in, you can’t get out.

The controversy this year over the ten-person shortlist is that there are no women. I almost wrote ‘sportspeople’ above, then realised there was no need. It’s an all-male field, three of whom are golfers. In a year when we have several female world champions, it is inexcusable.

Favourite

This is a cycling blog, so I’ll dwell on the shortlisted cyclist, future Team Sky supremo Mark Cavendish. At the time of writing, Cavendish is the odds-on favourite according to several bookmakers, though this can mean very little.

In 2008, the last time a cyclist won, Chris Hoy was the third in the betting before the programme, behind Rebecca Adlington (one of the snubbed world champions this year) and Lewis Hamilton. The bookies got the podium right, but the order wrong: Hoy was first, Hamilton second, Adlington third.

It was a huge moment for Hoy, and for cycling. But with it was the tacit understanding that it could only happen in an Olympic year. Only the Games could give Hoy, and cycling, the profile necessary to attract 290,000 telephone votes, 40% of the total, and 120,000 more than Hamilton.

Yet Cavendish really does have a good chance. It isn’t a weak year, either (no mentions of Zara Phillips, please), which means either that something has changed, or that Cavendish has achieved something truly exceptional.

Or, perhaps, a bit of both. Something has changed in the sense that cycling in Britain has found an audience it didn’t previously have — which undoubtedly owes much to Hoy and his British team-mates in Beijing.

Deserved

Still, it is remarkable that Cavendish has caught the eye in a non-Olympic year. There are three contributing factors: his green jersey at the Tour de France, his world road race title in Copenhagen, and his personality. Quite simply: he has one.

In fact, his personality is evident in his undisguised – and rather endearing – relish for the whole Sports Personality of the Year jamboree. While some would be too cool to admit it, Cavendish makes no bones about it: he loves it.

Why else would he admit that in 2008, when he failed to make the shortlist, he was annoyed? Well, he doesn’t admit that, exactly, but in his book, Boy Racer, he does recount the reaction of his Austrian team-mate, Bernie Eisel – which might be the same thing.

They were on a training camp in Majorca when Cavendish, checking his laptop, clocked that four cyclists – Hoy, Bradley Wiggins, Victoria Pendleton and Rebecca Romero – were on the ten-person SPOTY shortlist. But not Cavendish. “You won FOUR stages of the Tour de France!” Eisel yelled. “I can’t, I can’t understand it, I don’t believe it…it’s f****** ridiculous. It must be a British government conspiracy to kill road cycling!”

A few weeks later, when Cavendish watched the programme at home in the Isle of Man, he noted that his achievements were acknowledged: “I was given precisely four seconds — as long as it took for Sue Barker to say the words ‘… and Mark Cavendish won a record-breaking four stages of the Tour de France’.”

Cavendish added: “The nomination or lack of one hadn’t fazed me. Those four seconds, however, were like four daggers through my heart.”

Yet this passage of his book forms a tribute, of sorts, to the institution that is BBC Sports Personality of the Year. And the underlying message is clear: if you want the gong to go to someome to whom it would mean a great deal, and who will probably shed a tear or two in the event of winning, vote Cavendish.

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Bell: Moving up the order

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Ian Bell is relishing his opportunity to move up the England batting order in the absence of Kevin Pietersen.

The talented Warwickshire batsman stepped up from number five to deputise at three for the injured Jonathan Trott in the last two npower Tests and has been asked to operate at number four in the one-day series, with Pietersen rested.

The 29-year-old has filled a number of roles in England’s limited-overs set-up in recent years, and is happy to continue doing so in the second match of the series against India at the Rose Bowl on Tuesday.

“It’s nice to have the opportunity to bat up the order,” he told Sky Sports News.

“I see myself being flexible in the one-day side, whether it’s opening or batting at four or six I have to adapt and it’s a strength of my game that I can do that.

“It’s a good indication of the strength of the squad that somebody like KP can be rested and we still have an order to compete with the best teams in the world. The longer we can have that, the better.”

Competition

Bell believes competition for places will only increase in the coming years, saying there are several players who are ready to step into the England side.

“A lot of guys are excited about where English cricket is going,” he continued.

“I was watching Twenty20 finals day and there was some great cricket there. It shows the depth in domestic cricket, there are players there who could easily represent England tomorrow.

“You have to keep performing when you’re lucky enough to be in the starting XI because there are players knocking on the door. We’ve known that in Test cricket for a while and it’s the same in one-day and Twenty20 cricket.”

“The squad is getting stronger all the time and we’re intent on becoming a very strong one-day side. We’ve got a while to the World Cup but we’ve got to take our one-day cricket seriously.”

England’s bowling options for the second ODI will be strengthened as well, with spinner Graeme Swann recovering from a stomach bug which sidelined him for Saturday’s rain-abandoned opening game.

Problems

In contrast, India’s injury problems continue to worsen as star batsman Sachin Tendulkar has been ruled out of the rest of the series with a toe injury.

The tourists have already responded to Tendulkar’s unavailability by calling up S Badrinath, while batsman Manoj Tiwary is expected to arrive on Tuesday and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja soon afterwards.

Their options are nonetheless significantly limited. But Parthiv Patel, fresh from a career-best 95 in Saturday’s rainy no result at the Emirates Durham ICG, is refusing to be too downhearted.

“It’s something not in our control and which we can’t do anything about,” he said.

“We just have to try to make sure we make the use of all our resources. You can’t fill the shoes of Sachin, no matter who you are – so that’s obviously a big loss.

“But it will be a good opportunity for youngsters to prove themselves.”

Bell: Moving up the order

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Ian Bell is relishing his opportunity to move up the England batting order in the absence of Kevin Pietersen.

The talented Warwickshire batsman stepped up from number five to deputise at three for the injured Jonathan Trott in the last two npower Tests and has been asked to operate at number four in the one-day series, with Pietersen rested.

The 29-year-old has filled a number of roles in England’s limited-overs set-up in recent years, and is happy to continue doing so in the second match of the series against India at the Rose Bowl on Tuesday.

“It’s nice to have the opportunity to bat up the order,” he told Sky Sports News.

“I see myself being flexible in the one-day side, whether it’s opening or batting at four or six I have to adapt and it’s a strength of my game that I can do that.

“It’s a good indication of the strength of the squad that somebody like KP can be rested and we still have an order to compete with the best teams in the world. The longer we can have that, the better.”

Competition

Bell believes competition for places will only increase in the coming years, saying there are several players who are ready to step into the England side.

“A lot of guys are excited about where English cricket is going,” he continued.

“I was watching Twenty20 finals day and there was some great cricket there. It shows the depth in domestic cricket, there are players there who could easily represent England tomorrow.

“You have to keep performing when you’re lucky enough to be in the starting XI because there are players knocking on the door. We’ve known that in Test cricket for a while and it’s the same in one-day and Twenty20 cricket.”

“The squad is getting stronger all the time and we’re intent on becoming a very strong one-day side. We’ve got a while to the World Cup but we’ve got to take our one-day cricket seriously.”

England’s bowling options for the second ODI will be strengthened as well, with spinner Graeme Swann recovering from a stomach bug which sidelined him for Saturday’s rain-abandoned opening game.

Problems

In contrast, India’s injury problems continue to worsen as star batsman Sachin Tendulkar has been ruled out of the rest of the series with a toe injury.

The tourists have already responded to Tendulkar’s unavailability by calling up S Badrinath, while batsman Manoj Tiwary is expected to arrive on Tuesday and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja soon afterwards.

Their options are nonetheless significantly limited. But Parthiv Patel, fresh from a career-best 95 in Saturday’s rainy no result at the Emirates Durham ICG, is refusing to be too downhearted.

“It’s something not in our control and which we can’t do anything about,” he said.

“We just have to try to make sure we make the use of all our resources. You can’t fill the shoes of Sachin, no matter who you are – so that’s obviously a big loss.

“But it will be a good opportunity for youngsters to prove themselves.”

Bell: Moving up the order

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Teams
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Ian Bell is relishing his opportunity to move up the England batting order in the absence of Kevin Pietersen.

The talented Warwickshire batsman stepped up from number five to deputise at three for the injured Jonathan Trott in the last two npower Tests and has been asked to operate at number four in the one-day series, with Pietersen rested.

The 29-year-old has filled a number of roles in England’s limited-overs set-up in recent years, and is happy to continue doing so in the second match of the series against India at the Rose Bowl on Tuesday.

“It’s nice to have the opportunity to bat up the order,” he told Sky Sports News.

“I see myself being flexible in the one-day side, whether it’s opening or batting at four or six I have to adapt and it’s a strength of my game that I can do that.

“It’s a good indication of the strength of the squad that somebody like KP can be rested and we still have an order to compete with the best teams in the world. The longer we can have that, the better.”

Competition

Bell believes competition for places will only increase in the coming years, saying there are several players who are ready to step into the England side.

“A lot of guys are excited about where English cricket is going,” he continued.

“I was watching Twenty20 finals day and there was some great cricket there. It shows the depth in domestic cricket, there are players there who could easily represent England tomorrow.

“You have to keep performing when you’re lucky enough to be in the starting XI because there are players knocking on the door. We’ve known that in Test cricket for a while and it’s the same in one-day and Twenty20 cricket.”

“The squad is getting stronger all the time and we’re intent on becoming a very strong one-day side. We’ve got a while to the World Cup but we’ve got to take our one-day cricket seriously.”

England’s bowling options for the second ODI will be strengthened as well, with spinner Graeme Swann recovering from a stomach bug which sidelined him for Saturday’s rain-abandoned opening game.

Problems

In contrast, India’s injury problems continue to worsen as star batsman Sachin Tendulkar has been ruled out of the rest of the series with a toe injury.

The tourists have already responded to Tendulkar’s unavailability by calling up S Badrinath, while batsman Manoj Tiwary is expected to arrive on Tuesday and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja soon afterwards.

Their options are nonetheless significantly limited. But Parthiv Patel, fresh from a career-best 95 in Saturday’s rainy no result at the Emirates Durham ICG, is refusing to be too downhearted.

“It’s something not in our control and which we can’t do anything about,” he said.

“We just have to try to make sure we make the use of all our resources. You can’t fill the shoes of Sachin, no matter who you are – so that’s obviously a big loss.

“But it will be a good opportunity for youngsters to prove themselves.”

Bell: Moving up the order

Related links
Teams
Also see

Ian Bell is relishing his opportunity to move up the England batting order in the absence of Kevin Pietersen.

The talented Warwickshire batsman stepped up from number five to deputise at three for the injured Jonathan Trott in the last two npower Tests and has been asked to operate at number four in the one-day series, with Pietersen rested.

The 29-year-old has filled a number of roles in England’s limited-overs set-up in recent years, and is happy to continue doing so in the second match of the series against India at the Rose Bowl on Tuesday.

“It’s nice to have the opportunity to bat up the order,” he told Sky Sports News.

“I see myself being flexible in the one-day side, whether it’s opening or batting at four or six I have to adapt and it’s a strength of my game that I can do that.

“It’s a good indication of the strength of the squad that somebody like KP can be rested and we still have an order to compete with the best teams in the world. The longer we can have that, the better.”

Competition

Bell believes competition for places will only increase in the coming years, saying there are several players who are ready to step into the England side.

“A lot of guys are excited about where English cricket is going,” he continued.

“I was watching Twenty20 finals day and there was some great cricket there. It shows the depth in domestic cricket, there are players there who could easily represent England tomorrow.

“You have to keep performing when you’re lucky enough to be in the starting XI because there are players knocking on the door. We’ve known that in Test cricket for a while and it’s the same in one-day and Twenty20 cricket.”

“The squad is getting stronger all the time and we’re intent on becoming a very strong one-day side. We’ve got a while to the World Cup but we’ve got to take our one-day cricket seriously.”

England’s bowling options for the second ODI will be strengthened as well, with spinner Graeme Swann recovering from a stomach bug which sidelined him for Saturday’s rain-abandoned opening game.

Problems

In contrast, India’s injury problems continue to worsen as star batsman Sachin Tendulkar has been ruled out of the rest of the series with a toe injury.

The tourists have already responded to Tendulkar’s unavailability by calling up S Badrinath, while batsman Manoj Tiwary is expected to arrive on Tuesday and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja soon afterwards.

Their options are nonetheless significantly limited. But Parthiv Patel, fresh from a career-best 95 in Saturday’s rainy no result at the Emirates Durham ICG, is refusing to be too downhearted.

“It’s something not in our control and which we can’t do anything about,” he said.

“We just have to try to make sure we make the use of all our resources. You can’t fill the shoes of Sachin, no matter who you are – so that’s obviously a big loss.

“But it will be a good opportunity for youngsters to prove themselves.”