England expects a ferocious battle against desperate Scotland as they fight to avoid Rugby World Cup heart-break in this week’s make-or-break final pool game.
Full-back Delon Armitage said powerful and unpredictable Scotland would come out firing in Saturday’s clash in Auckland with only victory enough to prevent an early journey home.
“We know what’s coming. They’re a very strong, physical team and obviously they want to beat England,” Armitage said.
“So we know exactly what’s coming and we need a result, otherwise we’re going home.”
Scotland were just seven minutes from a vital win against Argentina on Sunday but they were undone by a piece of magic from Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino, who jinked through their defence to secure a 13-12 win.
The agonising result left Scotland needing victory over cross-border rivals England to reach the quarter-finals, while Martin Johnson’s team also need a win to be sure of progressing.
“The way we play every game is like fighting for your life,” said flanker James Haskell.
“If you don’t, very quickly you can be looking at your boarding pass thinking, ‘I should have been more involved’. You don’t want to leave that England shirt without a great performance, a do-or-die thing.
“You put everything on the line and that is how a team wins the World Cup. We will be fighting as if it is our last game.”
Scotland, coached by ex-England handler Andy Robinson, will take heart from recent results against the old enemy including two defeats and a draw at Murrayfield in the past five years.
“We’ve had a look at them, they’ve been really physical, they’ve looked to go through teams. We’ve had a look at them, we know their threats,” said Armitage.
“Obviously we’ve got to keep our eye on them because they have come with a few tricks against us a few times so we’re going to be covering all grounds.”
“I thought they were unlucky on the weekend but they’ve got a good squad and they’re going to be up for it,” he added. We’re going to have to look out for anything, they can mix it up so we’ve got to be ready for it.”
Prop Matt Stevens was also expecting a testing evening at Eden Park against a Scottish pack bolstered by the return of devout front-row forward Euan Murray, who sat out the Argentina game because he refuses to play on a Sunday.
“I think he will make a difference. He’s quick across the mark as a tighthead and he’s someone we’d definitely look at as a player,” Stevens said.
“It’s going to be a tough game. Scotland have their backs against the wall and they’ll want to come out fighting,” he added.
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