Six Nations: ENGLAND v SCOTLAND
Venue: Twickenham Date: Sun, 13 March Kick-off: 1500 GMT
Coverage: Watch live on BBC One and online from 1430-1700; Post-match forum on BBC Red Button and online 1700-1730; Listen on BBC Radio 5 live; Text commentary on BBC Sport website and mobiles

Gray's visit to Twickenham will be his first

By Richie Gray The Scotland lock previews the match at Twickenham

Not long to go.

I've never been to Twickenham. I've never played there but I've been told it's a fantastic stadium with a great atmosphere. I know that Scotland haven't won there since 1983 but I believe that, despite our results this season, we are capable of victory.

We've been losing games because of our mistakes. Too often we've given the ball away and lost good field position. You can't do that against good teams like France, Wales and Ireland.

We haven't helped ourselves but in the second half against Ireland there were a lot of positives to build on. We could have won that game.

After the game it would have been too easy to be downbeat. Instead we tried, as we always do, to learn lessons; lessons which will allow us to get our first win in this year's championship.

In the set-piece there were a few line-outs we were unhappy with, although they improved as the match against Ireland wore on.

The scrums on the whole went well, but I'm not going to comment on Allan Jacobsen's sin-binning, not because I'm shirking the issue, but it's just that the front row is an alien world and probably no-one outside the front row union is qualified to speak.

It wasn't the most enjoyable session on Thursday, with the driving hailstones. Andy Robinson was smiling as we gritted our teeth and got through it Richie Gray

That mention of the front row brings me to my new room-mate, Geoff Cross.

He's the best kind of rooming partner to have: he let's me nap when I have to. My last room-mate was also a prop - Moray Low. We have the same taste in music, so that's a start.

After the Ireland match there was the usual dinner. I can't remember what we had to eat but the highlight of the night was undoubtedly the speech given by Ian McLauchlan, our president. Mighty Mouse is always funny and I look forward to it.

I was 13 when England won the World Cup in 2003. As an impressionable kid just making my way in rugby, Martin Johnson stood out for me as a good leader and a player who would do what it takes to win. I've never met him; perhaps I will this weekend.

Generally, weeks follow a very similar pattern. The differences are in training where we model our sessions on who our opponents are.

It wasn't the most enjoyable session on Thursday, with the driving hailstones. Andy Robinson was smiling as we gritted our teeth and got through it. Painful!

England are playing really well at the moment. They are full of confidence. My focus for the upcoming match is to perform as best as I can and get that win.

It's the inches that will decide this game. We need to unsettle them, rattle their scrum, steal line-outs, things that could put them off their game. We're capable, but it will be tough.

Richie Gray was talking to BBC Scotland's Jim Mason. He is contributing diary pieces throughout the Six Nations.

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