SCOTLAND fought all the way at Murrayfield against a much-improved England side, but in the end they lost their eighth successive game in the Six Nations Championship - their worst ever run in the tournament since five became half a dozen with Italy’s introduction in 2000.

England were more powerful at close quarters, as second-row George Kruis showed in scoring their first try, and they were also smarter with back-line moves, as Jack Nowell demonstrated when grabbing their second. Scotland had chances of their own, notably when Finn Russell kicked ahead instead of passing to Stuart Hogg, but England’s speed and organisation in defence was excellent to the end.

The Scottish pack established an early advantage when England were penalised for going to ground at a scrum, but it was just about the only joy for the home team in the first 15 minutes. England fared better at the next set piece, and established good position only for George Ford to fail with a drop-goal attempt.

Then Stuart Hogg was caught in possession after fielding a kick ahead, and driven behind his own line to concede a five-metre scrum. Billy Vunipola picked up and drove from the base, then in the next phase Kruis had little difficulty in forcing his way over the line. Owen Farrell converted, and with quarter of an hour gone England had a deserved lead.

Scotland captain Greig Laidlaw narrowed that lead with a penalty a couple of minutes later after Dylan Hartley, his opposite number, had offended. Ten minutes later the scrum-half had another chance, when George Ford was penalised for holding on, but this time he was off target.

Scotland were much more involved as an attacking force in the second quarter, and Laidlaw made it 6-7 two minutes before half-time with another penalty, again given for holding on. Joe Launchbury was the culprit this time.

The Scots pressed hard in the time that remained before the break, but they could not get quick enough ball to profit from having extra men over on the right. Instead, they set up a drop-goal attempt for Finn Russell, but, like Ford earlier in the half, the stand-off skewed his effort wide of the posts.

Owen Farrell was also wide with a penalty nearly ten minutes into the second half, but England were soon back on the attack. An attack up the right seemed to have little space to work in, but then Mako Vunipola, just off the bench, slipped a pass behind him to Jack Nowell. The winger finished off the move from a few metres out, and although Farrell’s conversion attempt was wide, at 6-12 things were beginning to look ominous for Scotland.

England kept up the pressure for a time, but Finn Russell relieved the pressure with an interception deep inside his own 22. With Hogg outside him and only one opponent close, a pass would have produced a good try-scoring chance, Instead, Russell kicked, and the ball went out of touch close to halfway - a costly mistake.

Inside the final quarter, Farrell was on the mark with a penalty to stretch his team’s lead to 6-15.

A dozen minutes from time Laidlaw hit back with his third successful penalty, and Scotland were back to within a full score of taking the lead. But they had not been ahead at any stage of the match, and they continued to play second fiddle in the closing stages.

SCOTLAND: Pens: Laidlaw 3.

ENGLAND: Tries: Kruis, Nowell. Con: Farrell. Pen: Farrell.

Scotland: S Hogg; S Maitland, M Bennett, M Scott, T Seymour (D Taylor 66); F Russell, G Laidlaw; A Dickinson (G Reid 58), R Ford (S McInally 65), W Nel (Z Fagerson 69), R Gray, J Gray (T Swinson 70), J Barclay (B Cowan 59), J Hardie, D Denton. Unused substitutes: S Hidalgo-Clyne, D Weir.

England: M Brown; A Watson, J Joseph, O Farrell, J Nowell; G Ford, D Care (B Youngs 55); J Marler (M Vunipola 49), D Hartley (J George 77), D Cole, J Launchbury (C Lawes 47), G Kruis, C Robshaw (J Clifford 69), J Haskell, B Vunipola. Unused substitutes: P Hill, A Goode, O Devoto.

Referee: J Lacey (Ireland). Attendance: 67,144.