OLIVER HOLT AT MURRAYFIELD - The trees outside Murrayfield swayed in the gale and empty plastic coffee cups scattered. Storm Ciara was brewing, but Owen Farrell remained unfazed.

All those training sessions when Steve Borthwick brings a bucket filled with slippery, soapy water paid off on Saturday night. England overcame foul weather to beat Scotland.

England captain Owen Farrell revealed the conditions the team's suffered at Murrayfield yesterday were some of the worst of his Test career.

Gregor Townsend has absolved Stuart Hogg from blame despite the Scotland skipper making his second costly mistake in as many Guinness Six Nations games.

NIK SIMON AT MURRAYFIELD: England could not dodge the storm but they at least averted the crisis on Saturday afternoon - thanks to a late try from Ellis Genge.

Officials are investigating ugly scenes at Murrayfield on Saturday where Neil Craig, a member of England's backroom staff, was struck on the head by a plastic beer bottle.

It was fitting that on a wild day in Edinburgh, England won back the Calcutta Cup thanks to a decisive intervention of Ellis Genge. He typified the spirit of defiance which propelled his side to victory.

Townsend has warned exile Russell that he will have to make the same 'sacrifices' as every other Scotland player - or be banished from his squad for the duration of the Six Nations.

SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: I try not to be overly partisan in my columns because I love good rugby and admire top-quality play from all teams, but I hope Scotland record a thumping win over Italy.

ROB ROBERTSON IN ROME: Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend believes the pressure has been lifted after his side 'zeroed' Italy in an emphatic Six Nations win in the Italian capital.

Russell will not feature in the remaining games, against France on Sunday and Wales in Cardiff on March 14, as it is feared his arrival would detract from preparations for two games only six days apart.

EXCLUSIVE: A Scottish Women's Rugby player being treated for coronavirus spent days training near to Team GB Olympians at their base in Loughborough before she was diagnosed.

The PFA Player of the Year ended last season with no opponent completing a dribble past him in a staggering 64 matches. Liverpool centre back has lifted the lid on what has helped him.

De Jong completed a big-money £65million move to the Spanish giants from Ajax in January and he will be officially unveiled as a Barcelona player on Friday.

United States take on Netherlands for ultimate glory in the Women's World Cup final in France today. Sportsmail will provide you live updates as it happens from the Lyon Olympic Stadium.

After Liverpool wished him happy birthday on Twitter, the club's supporters inevitably took to social media to sing his praises after quickly becoming a fan favourite on Merseyside.

De Ligt became the most sought after youngster in the world after a huge breakthrough season with Ajax, and he has attracted heavy interest from the likes of Juventus and Barcelona.

Maurizio Sarri views Matthijs de Ligt as a key part of a three-man defensive wall at Juventus this season. The Dutch centre back is nearing the completion of his £63million transfer.

The 35-year-old had been playing for Al-Gharafa in Qatar but images of him attending Utrecht's clash against VVV-Venlo caused a stir after they showed him to be carrying a few extra pounds.

The Dutch, managed by Bert Van Marwijk in 2010, were defeated in the final by Spain following an extra-time winner by midfield maestro Andres Iniesta in South Africa.

October 13, 1976. Best's career was on the wane. He had turned 30 that summer and come back from his first stint in the US with Los Angeles Aztecs.

Georginio Wijnaldum admits Holland's recent absence from major tournaments has been 'painful' as they look set to end that exodus at Euro 2020 next summer.

Despite being just 17-years-old, Liverpool starlet Ki-jana Hoever is making heads turn weekly. On the brink of U17 World Cup glory with Holland, Sportsmail takes a look at the 'new Van Dijk.'

Ruud Gullit (right) treated football fans to a throwback photo of himself posing with fellow Holland legends Marco van Basten and Frank Rijkaard (left).

When Ronald Koeman was shown the door at Goodison Park back in October 2017, it was difficult to imagine a route back to the top for the Dutchman, but now he is a Barcelona candidate.

Holland and Liverpool star Gini Wijnaldum says he would walk from the pitch were he to be targeted with racial abuse, just as Ahmad Mendes Moreira was recently in a Dutch second division tie.

Holland midfielder Gini Wijnaldum backed up his powerful words on racism in football this week, by leading by example for his national team and making a visual statement.

Former Newcastle and Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew takes the reigns at the Dutch outfit with the club struggling in 17th in the league having been thumped 6-1 by Ajax at the weekend.

MARTIN SAMUEL - CHIEF SPORTS WRITER: Don't we ever learn? The marquee events, the marquee players, don't care about our wish for a northern powerhouse and FIFA will be no different.

Ireland striker Parrott is a loan target for a number of clubs in England but Pardew has now entered the hunt and believes the 17 year-old can help fire second-bottom Den Haag to safety.

Ronald Koeman has revealed he rejected the chance to manage Lionel Messi and Co at Barcelona in order to focus on his job as Holland's head coach.

Inter Milan forward Romelu Lukaku has sent a message of support to former manager Ronald Koeman after he underwent a heart procedure in Amsterdam. 

These celebrity lookalikes are so convincing, they've turned it into a full -time career - including a Prince Harry double who has flown business class to China to attend a billionaire's birthday party.

It marks the latest addition to Sheeran's housing empire in Framlingham, Suffolk, which has ballooned in size after the pop star, 28, snapped up four of the surrounding properties.

The singer, 28, arrived to the Eagle N Tun on New Canal Street, Birmingham, to film his latest collaboration with grime artists Jaykae and Aitch.

Ed Sheeran and his wife Cherry Seaborn were enjoying a rare date night in London together on Tuesday.

The 28-year-old chart-topping musician was up in the air by fellow Game Of Thrones star Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson in a video recently posted by the strongman.

The singer, 28, was joined by rap stars Jaykae and Aitch for the video and a stuntman while he rode around on a quad bike for the shoot.

Grammy Award-winning singer Ed Sheeran, 28, has lodged plans to erect a 6.5ft tall fence and gates around his Suffolk estate to ensure his privacy which his neighbours have described as 'unsightly'.

Billionaire Christian Candy and wife Emily Crompton live with their children in a £30 million Surrey house. Over the past four years, they have spent a further £20 million buying up four neighbouring properties.

Love Island winner Amber Gill, 22, has revealed Millie Bobby Brown, 15, has been messaging her on Instagram and the pair have plans to meet up.

Ed Sheeran will be playing the final four nights of his world tour in Chantry Park in his hometown of Ipswich, behind a row of houses, giving some residents exclusive access.  

The singer-songwriter, 28, who has performed more than 250 shows during his two-year tour, delighted more than 40,000 music lovers at the venue with a medley of his latest tracks.

'I have social anxiety,' said Ed Sheeran, 28, who will finish his 893-day tour tomorrow after playing four nights in Ipswich in his home county of Suffolk.

Ed Sheeran closed out his massive Divide world tour on Monday in Suffolk, England. The 28-year-old delivered 255 concerts over two-and-a-half years across six continent, earning around $775.6m.

The Shape Of You hitmaker, 28, is said to be taking a short hiatus from music in order to spend time with his wife Cherry Seaborn, who he married in December 2018.

The teenager, from Portsmouth, has created her own 'smile' bracelets to generate funds for cancer sufferers, and she was thrilled after Sheeran asked to wear one for his entire set.

They're expected to tie the knot in a lavish ceremony at a stately home in Yorkshire on Saturday, in front of a host of celebrity pals.

Ed Sheeran's harmonica and model of his head have received visits from people all the way from Chicago - to the St Elizabeth Hospice shop in Suffolk, after he donated 300 items.

The singer, 32, and her art dealer beau, 27, will apparently host an array of their famous pals at the stunning country estate, including Princess Eugenie, Ed Sheeran and Rita Ora.