England manager Martin Johnson has urged his team to show Scotland "no sympathy" when they meet in Saturday's final round of the Six Nations at Twickenham.

Johnson has named an unchanged matchday 22 - something England last managed for their 2007 World Cup semifinal win against France - following the side's 34-10 Twickenham trouncing of 'Les Bleus' last weekend.

By contrast, Scotland head to London for the Calcutta Cup encounter having lost three of their four Six Nations matches so far this season and knowing it is 26 years since they last won at Twickenham.

The build-up to the 126th edition of rugby union's oldest international fixture has also seen the position of Scotland coach Frank Hadden called into question while England captain Steve Borthwick, in an unusually vehement outburst by his standards, has accused this weekend's visitors of being "ungracious" after their Calcutta Cup win at Murrayfield last year.

England lock great Johnson, who as a player never lost in nine Tests against Scotland, told his players to build on their encouraging display against France with a ruthless performance this Saturday.

"I have no sympathy for them at the moment. We have to look after ourselves," said Johnson, England's 2003 World Cup winning captain, after naming his side on Wednesday.

"They will come down here desperate to win. They will regard themselves as underdogs. They haven't won at Twickenham for a while. It will be a big thing for them if they win."

Victory for England could yet see then finish second in this Six Nations, even though they've lost of both of their away games, to Wales and Ireland, and Johnson said: "Our motivation as a team has got to be to improve our performance from last week. You never say 'same again'. You want to get better.

"There is a big improvement to come out of us."

With so many factors pointing to an England win this weekend, not least that Scotland's last Twickenham triumph was in 1983, Johnson tried to calm expectations by saying: "Everyone is talking like we are strong favourites but Scotland have been hard to beat. Look how Ireland celebrated when they took the lead last weekend.

"It is our job to make sure we go out with the same attitude and desire as last week [when England were 34-0 up by the 42nd minute against France] and not to expect things to happen.

"If we can get three wins in the tournament after two losses in the middle which was a pretty hard period for us then it will be a huge win."

Johnson refused to comment directly about Borthwick's remarks regarding Scotland's supposed lack of sportsmanship, while England scrum coach and former Test player Graham Rowntree simply said they encountered "equal hostility" everyhwere they went.

But the England manager said he welcomed the fact the tournament could still stir age-old rivalries.

"That is the great thing about the Six Nations. All these games really matter to people," Johnson explained.

"You live amongst each other. They live around here and you have all that banter. That is what makes these games great.

"What has (Wales coach) Warren Gatland just said? That Wales dislike the Irish most of all - that is news to me!"

AFP

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