Jamie Ritchie knows just what a difference it can make to a campaign by kicking off with a Calcutta Cup success and the Scotland flanker is hoping for déjà-vu at BT Murrayfield on Saturday.
Gregor Townsend’s side made history in Round 1 last season with a first win at Twickenham since 1983, going onto record three wins in all in the 2021 Guinness Six Nations.
A year later, the Calcutta Cup will again lift the curtain on Scotland’s campaign, and Ritchie is desperate for a similar result in front of the Scottish fans in Edinburgh.
He said: “Primarily, we need a fast start. We can’t look any further than that first game against England, and I know that’s a cliche, but it really is the truth. That puts us on the front foot for the whole tournament if we get a good result on Saturday, so for us it’s about starting well.
“I’m really excited. It’s always a good game to get off the mark with. Looking back, last year was a massive result for us but we want to back it up this year.
“I think it can help with our mindset knowing that we beat them last year but they’re probably a little bit different and we’re a little bit different.
“365 days is a long time – there’s been a lot of rugby between then and now. It’s a fresh start for us and them, and we’re looking forward to it.”
Scotland come into the campaign with plenty of confidence after ending their long waits for wins at Twickenham and in Paris last year, while also beating Australia for the third time in a row in the Autumn Nations Series.
With a settled side and a squad littered with British & Irish Lions tourists, there is plenty of reason for optimism, and Ritchie admits that it doesn’t get any bigger than a home clash with England.
He added: “These are the games you dream of as a kid growing up. These are the ones you want to go to when you’re a spectator, and when you play the game these are the ones you want to be involved in.
“For a Scottish player, there is no bigger stage than a full Murrayfield against England. It’s a dream come true and we want to do that credit. For us, it’s about putting our best game out there.”