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Tom Curry, without his fellow kamikaze kid Sam Underhill, will be detailed to a do a lot of the breakdown dirty work today.

He is up about one of the best in the business.

Hamish Watson zips about the pitch like one of those robo vacuum cleaners, a low-slung hoover of loose ball.

Warren Gatland will be taking notes as he sifts his Lions squad into shape.

Becky Grey
BBC Sport at Twickenham

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There's more than a cup to play for today.

British and Irish Lions coach Warren Gatland is one of the few allowed into the Twickenham stands today.

Pandemic-permitting, the tour of South Africa will begin in five months' time and this Six Nations is the last chance for players to prove themselves on the international stage.

Andrew Cotter
BBC Sport commentator

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A Calcutta Cup without thousands watching? Odd, to say the least, but it might help ease in two hugely talented, yet very inexperienced inside centres in Ollie Lawrence and Cameron Redpath.

Not long ago they were England Under-20 team-mates, but with Redpath the son of former Scotland scrum-half and captain Bryan, a first cap feels like a homecoming. His combination with the magical Russell will be fascinating to watch.

England are certainly favourites and Scotland do have a habit of starting the Championship slowly, but the meeting at Twickenham two years ago should remind us that you can never really be certain in sport.

You can watch highlight of this match later online and don't forget that we have live coverage of Wales v Ireland tomorrow on BBC Two and online from 14:00 GMT.

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The 2021 episode will have to go some to beat the last time Twickenham hosted a Calcutta Cup clash.

Two years ago, England raced into a 30-point lead in as many minutes, but ultimately need a converted try with the clock in the red to salvage a draw.

The greatest Calcutta Cup of all time? Almost certainly.

And you can get the inside story on how that epic 38-38 draw at Twickenham went down from a Scotland perspective as prop Gordon Reid talks you through the sheer surreal madness of it all.

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Choose your fighter.

Owen Farrell, a serial winner, with an almost obsessive pursuit of rugby perfection and zero tolerance for those who can't keep up.

Finn Russell, the arch entertainer, with a delicious array of defence splitting skills and a bonviveur lifestyle in Paris.

The battle of the 10s is almost a philisophical discussion about how you live life as much as a chat about how best to win a rugby match.

You can read more about the two men behind the myths, with insight from Brad Barritt and Ryan Wilson, over here.

Well, this is interesting...

Scotland, fifth favourites with the bookies are the third-most backed team in our poll of BBC Sport readers, clocking a creditable 11% of the vote.

England out in front with 53% of the vote, while France are backed by 27%.

A distinct lack of optimism from/for Wales with only 3% of respondents thinking the 2019 champions can do the deed two years on.

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Former Scotland captain Rory Lawson believes this is a chance for Scotland to end their near 40-year Twickenham hoodoo.

“I think Scotland could edge it," he told BBC Scotland.

"They’re going to have put in a big performance but I think without the likes of Mako Vunipola, Kyle Sinckler and Sam Underhill England are not quite the side (they could be).

"But they’re still a very good side. I think this is an opportunity for Scotland.”

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This is Cameron Redpath playing against Scotland for England under-20s back in March 2019. He lined up alongside rather than opposite Ollie Lawrence that day.

Redpath was born in France, went to school in England, but eventually plumbed for Scotland for his international career.

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All eyes in midfield for Scotland where Cameron Redpath, son of former Scotland captain Bryan, makes his debut.

The Bath centre, 21, played age-grade rugby for England and was previously included as an apprentice in an Eddie Jones squad, but has committed to Scotland.

Elsewhere George Turner comes in as hooker with both Stuart McInally, whose try sparked Scotland's comeback in 2019's 38-38 draw at Twickenham, and Fraser Brown out.

Matt Fagerson is at number eight with Jamie Richie and Hamish Watson bringing all-court mobility to the back row.

Scotland:15-Stuart Hogg (capt); 14-Sean Maitland, 13-Chris Harris, 12-Cameron Redpath, 11-Duhan van der Merwe; 10-Finn Russell, 9-Ali Price; 1-Rory Sutherland, 2-George Turner, 3-Zander Fagerson; 4-Scott Cummings, 5-Jonny Gray; 6-Jamie Ritchie, 7-Hamish Watson, 8-Matt Fagerson

Replacements:16-David Cherry, 17-Oli Kebble, 18-Willem Nel, 19-Richie Gray, 20-Gary Graham, 21-Scott Steele, 22-Jaco van der Walt, 23-Huw Jones

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Owen Farrell steps into 10 as George Ford drops to the bench and young Ollie Lawrence comes in to add some punch to inside centre.

With Sam Underhill, Mako Vunipola, Joe Launchbury and Kyle Sinckler all unavailable, there is a fresh look to the pack as well with Ellis Genge and Will Stuart either side of Jamie George in the front row and Mark Wilson making his first England appearance since March.

Watch out for prop Beno Obano making his debut off the bench.

England:15-Elliot Daly; 14-Anthony Watson, 13-Henry Slade, 12-Ollie Lawrence, 11-Jonny May; 10-Owen Farrell (capt), 9-Ben Youngs; 1-Ellis Genge, 2-Jamie George, 3-Will Stuart; 4-Maro Itoje, 5-Jonny Hill; 6-Mark Wilson, 7-Tom Curry, 8-Billy Vunipola

Replacements:16-Luke Cowan-Dickie, 17-Beno Obano, 18-Harry Williams, 19-Courtney Lawes, 20-Ben Earl, 21-Dan Robson, 22-George Ford, 23-Max Malins

Becky Grey
BBC Sport at Twickenham

Aaaaaand it's raining.

Jinxed it.

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Right, the teams are off the bus and in the building. Let's have a little look at the cast list for today's drama...

There are no fans in the stands, but there are plenty on sofas all around the country,

Show us how you’re supporting your side home by sending in your pictures and videos via social media on #bbcrugby.

Becky Grey
BBC Sport at Twickenham

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The weather forecast this morning predicted it would be absolutely pouring it down at Twickenham by now.

But after a sunny morning, the skies continue to hold. Here's hoping the rain stays away for another few hours and we avoid a repeat of 2020's Calcutta Cup trudge-fest.

Both teams will be rocking kits with retro touches to mark this milestone in the longest Test rivalry...

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This year's contest has fewer players on the pitch, even fewer spectators in the stands, but a whole lot more muscle, pace and importance.

England, who wrapped up last year's Covid-delayed championship less than four months ago, are gunning to make it four out of six for coach Eddie Jones.

Scotland are hoping to find the balance between a defence that conceded fewer points in the 2020 championship than any team has managed in a campaign since 2015 and an attack that can shred the opposition to ribbons on its day.

There are tomes of history in Test rugby's oldest rivalry, but the next page is always the most exciting.

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If you sat down in the easy chair on 8 December 1870 and wanted a break from the latest dispatches on the Franco-Prussian war, you might flick round to the sport's pages of your Bell’s Weekly newspaper.

There you would see a classified advert. It was taken out by five Scottish rugby clubs challenging any team “selected from the whole of England” to a match.

Blackheath Rugby Club in London answered the call.

27 March 1871 - less than four months later - at Raeburn Place in Edinburgh, the two teams - 20 a side - trotted out.

After 100 minutes of action in front of more than 4000 spectators, Scotland ran out winner and a rivalry was begun.