Noon prepared to ‘do it ugly’ to counter Scotland threat

JAMIE NOON scored a hat-trick against Scotland at Twickenham last year, but the Newcastle centre believes victory at Murrayfield today could herald the dawning of a first England Grand Slam in three years - and confirmation that the World Cup hangover has passed.

Noon would be delighted to “do it ugly” - his centre partnership with Mike Tindall has been blamed for England’s perceived lack of adventure, but he could not care less.

“I would love to win the championship ugly,” he said. “If we could win a Grand Slam ugly, by a point or two points then I wouldn’t care. The honour and achievement of winning a Grand Slam means more to me than the way you play.

“Scotland are probably the form side in the championship. They are the ones playing the most amount of rugby and we know it is going to be a battle. It will be very cold and they will come at us. It is massive for them and if anyone is likely to turn us over it is Scotland. We have to be mentally right.”

Expectation has risen in Scotland since they beat France and the Murrayfield crowd will be hell-bent on a repeat of 2000, when England’s Grand Slam hopes were drowned in the rain of a miserable Edinburgh afternoon.

“If we can win by one point, by sticking the ball up our jumpers, then it’s worth it,” Noon said.

“Everyone is saying there is an issue about the midfield and that we weren’t functioning, but they are not seeing the whole picture. In games where the midfield hasn’t necessarily performed it is because other areas, like the forwards, are performing. If you have a particular strength in one area, why go down a different area?”

“Last year’s game against Scotland was such a special occasion for me and scoring three tries was great. But you can’t rest on your laurels. I am loving playing for England and because of that I don’t want it to stop.”

Returning Scotland international Nathan Hines would no doubt agree. He’s relishing the chance of swapping the heat of the kitchen for the white-hot atmosphere of Murrayfield and the Australian-born lock will start on the bench today in Edinburgh as he resumes his Scotland career.

Hines quit the international arena after becoming disillusioned under former coach Matt Williams and spent his time cooking to keep himself busy.

“I was trying to watch - but not watch - the Six Nations game against France,” he admitted.

“I was cooking and keeping myself busy. I knew the day before that I could, potentially, be available, but it was hard not being involved.”

He added: “I didn’t know I was going to be on the bench against England. I am just hoping to get some game time at some point this weekend.”

Scott Murray’s dismissal against Wales and subsequent three-week ban allowed Hines to make his return. He said: “I always thought I was going to come back, it was just a case of when.

“I wasn’t going to come back and upset the apple cart in the middle of the Six Nations. But obviously Scott was red-carded; I thought, this is my opportunity, and I came back.”