Graham Rowntree has backed a young and inexperienced England side to quell the Scottish passion in Saturday's Calcutta Cup showdown.
Forwards coach admits England are short on experience
Graham Rowntree has backed a young and inexperienced England side to quell the Scottish passion in Saturday's Calcutta Cup showdown.
Rowntree is happy to concede England are underdogs - but he warned Scotland not to underestimate the visitors.
"Scotland always save a passion up for us," said Rowntree, the England forwards coach.
"Going up there, especially at this point in time, given where we have been, the unspeakable past, they will be licking their lips.
"We will be expecting that. Those emotions and those experiences of running out on the field are what drive you as a player.
"It is a fact we are underdogs in terms of experience. No-one expects us to do well. We will have something to say about that. We have not got as much experience as previous teams but these guys are good enough.
"What has impressed me has been the energy and eagerness to get us up and running again. We reached a bit of a low as a national team but we dropped that within two days of being together.
"If you look in our dressing room, there is plenty of passion and Englishness there. Away games in club land and the Test arena are what makes it special. I envy the players."
Squad trimmed
Bath-bound hooker Rob Webber and Northampton scrum-half Lee Dickson are both in line to be included in the 22 to play Scotland after Lancaster trimmed his squad to 24 players on Tuesday evening.
Webber, who toured Australia with England in 2010, has been preferred to Lee Mears as Dylan Hartley's back-up at hooker, while Dickson has overtaken Joe Simpson, who was a member of the World Cup squad.
Bath prop David Wilson and Northampton flanker Calum Clark are the only other members of the original senior squad to be released for club duty this weekend.
Bath duo Dave Attwood and Matt Banahan, Saracens' Alex Goode and Leicester's Thomas Waldrom were all training with England as injury cover and have been released for LV= Cup duty with their clubs.
