Six Nations 2024: Scotland favourites to beat England, says lock Chessum

Lock Ollie Chessum has called Scotland the favourites to lift the Calcutta Cup when they meet England at Murrayfield in the Six Nations on Saturday.

Scotland have won their past three Six Nations matches with England.

Meanwhile, England are victorious in just one of their past six meetings, a 13-6 win in 2020.

"Over the last few years they've had our number," admitted England's Chessum, speaking to the BBC Rugby Union Daily podcast.

"They're favourites and rightly so. You want to get one back, but equally they'll be chomping at the bit to beat us."

England arrive at Murrayfield having won their opening two matches in this year's Six Nations, against Italy and Wales.

Steve Borthwick's side have won eight of their past nine Test matches. Their only defeat was a one-point loss in the World Cup semi-final against eventual champions South Africa.

Scotland, who beat Wales in round one, suffered a controversial loss to France last time out, having been denied a would-be match-winning try.

On Tuesday, former England captain Matt Dawson told the BBC Scotland Rugby Podcast that Scotland were no longer Calcutta Cup underdogs and "happy to carry the favourites tag".

And on Wednesday, ex-Wales fly-half Jonathan Davies said Scotland "don't need to worry about England".

Before Scotland's win at Murrayfield in 2018, England had won the previous eight meetings between the two sides.

Chessum grateful to mum for support

Leicester's Chessum, 22, has 20 caps for England having made his international debut against Italy at the 2022 Six Nations when Eddie Jones was head coach.

His younger brother Lewis, who is also a second-rower at Leicester Tigers, currently captains the England under-20 side.

Chessum puts his family's rugby success down to his mum Michelle, who he says once demonstrated a touch of panache in the Leicester dressing room before a Premiership match at Newcastle.

"Before the lads got changed, she was invited in," he said. "But my mum had been on the steam all day. She got welcomed in by Steve Borthwick and did a catwalk the length of the changing room!

"Her and my youngest brother Dylan, if they're not watching me, they're watching Lewis. They go all over the place.

"When you're singing the national anthem, you try to spot them. It's such a massive thing as a player. It just settles you a little bit, no matter what everybody else thinks, they're always going to support you."