Stuart Lancaster’s new-look England team emerged from a brutal baptism of fire at Murrayfield in the RBS Six Nations with a battling 13-6 victory over Scotland.
Fly-half Charlie Hodgson, at 31 years old the elder statesman of the England squad, charged down his opposite number Dan Parks early on in the second half to score the ultimately decisive try.
Saracens team-mate Owen Farrell kicked the rest of England’s points on a nerveless debut, while his partner and fellow debutant in the centre Brad Barritt caught the eye with a formidable defensive display.
Scotland controlled territory and possession but were typically profligate in the opposition 22, though little should detract from a stoic and spirited England performance, which earned them their first win north of the border since 2004.
Interim coach Lancaster has just five games to stake his claim for a permanent post, and following the besmirching of English rugby’s reputation after the World Cup he has sought to inculcate a new atmosphere within the whole elite set-up.
Any dramatic sea-change would only truly be successful if supported by results, however, and a gritty win at Murrayfield with such a vastly inexperienced side is a huge step in the right direction for both Lancaster and English rugby as a whole.
The ultimate destination may well be the 2015 World Cup, but focus within the refreshingly dignified England camp will not stray from next week’s trip to Rome to face Italy.
The Azzurri are notoriously difficult to beat at home – indeed they vanquished France at the Stadio Olimpico last year – and a defeat for England would be a devastatingly crushing blow.
Surviving the stern examination of Murrayfield, however, will fill Lancaster’s raw recruits with genuine belief that a bright new era may just have dawned.