Former England star Brian Moore believes England can only show they have made improvements under Steve Borthwick by beating Scotland in their Six Nations clash on February 24.
England have won just one of their last five in the Calcutta Cup, the trophy awarded to the winner of the fixture during the Six Nations.
“England’s recent record against teams ranked higher than them is poor. Thus, their next game, against Scotland at Murrayfield, is the ideal opportunity to take the next step on the path back to rugby’s top table,” Moore wrote for the Daily Telegraph.
“A win would open up a genuinely seismic game against the Irish, with the winner left the sole contender for a Slam.
“A loss would mean England had won just one out of the last six Calcutta Cup games and that they belong at the bottom end of the table, where they have dwelt for the past three years.
“Though it will not be accepted as such by Borthwick, this is a vital game as it will show whether there has been any genuine improvement under him in this Six Nations.”
