RBS 6 Nations Championship
Venue: Twickenham Date: Sunday, 13 March 2011 Kick-off: 1500 GMT
Coverage: Watch on BBC One, BBC HD channel and the BBC Sport website; listen on BBC Radio 5 live and local radio; text commentary on BBC Sport website and mobiles

England manager Martin Johnson anticipates an "intense battle" when they take on Scotland for the Calcutta Cup at Twickenham on Sunday.

The home side are two wins away from a Grand Slam, while Scotland have not triumphed at Twickenham since 1983.

Johnson insists the "edge" between the teams has diminished, but says the Scots will be desperate for a win.

"There is one constant with Calcutta Cup games, they are always a fight and a battle," said Johnson.

Scotland are coached by the former England boss Andy Robinson, who returns to Twickenham for the first time since losing his job in 2006, but the Scots are bottom of this season's Six Nations table with no points to their name.

But Johnson, who spearheaded England's last Grand Slam title as captain in 2003, added: "The intensity of the game is what it is all about.

It is a classic game, a big tussle - we have to earn everything we get England manager Martin Johnson

"England teams have that history with Scotland and when I was involved it was an edgy game.

"There was genuine hatred between the players, genuine dislike. It is nothing like it was then. That is why they call them the good old days!"

Since a 12-12 draw in 1989, England have won the last 10 Twickenham encounters between the sides.

But Scotland have sprung several surprise results over the years, most memorably when they stopped England's Grand Slam bid in a heated encounter at Murrayfield in 1990. Scotland also beat their old enemy 15-9 at a rain-soaked Murrayfield in 2008.

"In that 1990 game England went for the Grand Slam and got beaten. There was a real edge there but the world has changed a little bit," Johnson added.

"That went away at the end of the decade when they weren't quite so competitive, but it is a classic game, a big tussle.

"When the players get out there they will be into it, there is no doubt about it. We have to earn everything we get."

With England playing the way they are and the way we are looking to develop our game and play, it should be a cracking game Scotland coach Andy Robinson

Scotland have beaten Ireland away, Argentina twice and South Africa at Murrayfield in the last 12 months but have struggled in this Six Nations.

Robinson has told his players their biggest challenge at Twickenham is to avoid conceding "soft points".

"England have played very well at Twickenham in previous years. We have got to be able to put England under pressure and not allow them to get into their rhythm," Robinson said.

"The second part of that is controlling the scoreboard. In every game since 2000 England have done that. While Scotland have had them under pressure at times, England have been able to put it away in the last 20 minutes.

"We have to put ourselves in a position where we are not conceding soft points. That is what we have done in the championship so far and we have to make that improvement.

"We will go there with confidence, which comes from the debrief of what happened against Ireland and the way we put them under pressure."

Robinson added: "I have some great memories of being at Twickenham and playing there as well.

"The hairs stand up on the back of my neck every time I am involved in international rugby. Every game I have got that feeling.

"That is why I chose to get back involved in international rugby. I love the feeling of what a Test week is. It will be an exciting occasion.

"With England playing the way they are and the way we are looking to develop our game and play, it should be a cracking game."

England: Ben Foden, Chris Ashton, Mike Tindall (captain), Shontayne Hape, Mark Cueto, Toby Flood, Ben Youngs; Alex Corbisiero, Dylan Hartley, Dan Cole, Louis Deacon, Tom Palmer, Tom Wood, James Haskell, Nick Easter.

Replacements: Steve Thompson, Paul Doran-Jones, Simon Shaw, Tom Croft, Danny Care, Jonny Wilkinson, Matt Banahan.

Scotland: Chris Paterson, Simon Danielli, Joe Ansbro, Sean Lamont, Max Evans, Ruaridh Jackson, Rory Lawson; Allan Jacobsen, Ross Ford, Moray Low, Richie Gray, Alastair Kellock (captain), Nathan Hines, John Barclay, Kelly Brown.

Replacements: Scott Lawson, Geoff Cross, Richie Vernon, Alasdair Strokosch, Mike Blair, Dan Parks, Nick De Luca.

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