Six Nations: England 'don’t need to prove anything' and outsiders can expect 'change' in team - Ollie Chessum

Ollie Chessum says England “don’t need to prove anything to anyone” as Steve Borthwick’s side prepare to face Scotland in the Six Nations.

England head to Murrayfield on Saturday with two wins from two, having beaten Italy in the opener before clinching victory against Wales at Twickenham.

Speaking ahead of Saturday’s match, Chessum told TNT Sports that those on the outside can expect a different England as they look to implement “winning rugby”.

“I don’t think we need to prove anything to anyone really,” the England lock said. “We need to prove to ourselves that we’re trying to implicate [implement] what we’re doing on the training field.

“But we're very confident as a group that the outside are going to start to see us change.

“Everyone wants to see this flash style of rugby, but everyone also wants to see winning rugby and that's what we're trying to create here at England.

“I’ve got every confidence that that’s the way we're going to go.”

Chessum admitted he was eager to make his first appearance at the “hostile” Murrayfield as England look to turn around their form against the Scots.

“I’m very much looking forward to the occasion as well as the game,” he said. “We’ve got our game plan, we’ve trained hard on the field and we’re going to go out there and have a swing.

“Hopefully, what we've tried to implicate [implement] in the week and what we’ve tried to train in the week will be executed and we can come away from Murrayfield with a win."

On how England are going to stop Scotland from winning a fourth Calcutta Cup in a row, Chessum added: “I don’t know if I can spill those secrets, I’m certainly hoping we do stop them and come home with the Calcutta Cup, for sure.”

Chessum featured four times in England’s 2023 Six Nations campaign before dislocating his ankle in training but bounced back with a call-up to the 2023 World Cup squad five months later.

The 23-year-old described his journey over the last year or so as a “whirlwind” that he “wouldn’t change for the world”.

“There have been a few ups and downs but I’ve loved every minute of it,” he said. “I don’t think I’d change any of it for the world in terms of the experiences I’ve had, the lessons I’ve learned.

“And obviously just playing for the teams I’ve played for, playing in the games I’ve played in. I’ve absolutely loved every minute of it and I’m just trying my best to let that continue.”

Chessum played a crucial role in Leicester Tigers’ Premiership-winning campaign during the 2021/22 season, which earned him his first England call-up and debut in 2022.

“Winning the Premiership with Leicester is one of the big ones,” he said, reflecting on his biggest career moments to date. “Going to my first World Cup and coming away with a medal, obviously not the medal we would like, but they’re places I would never have dreamt of being and games I would have never have dreamt of playing in.

“To have done it at this stage of my career, I'm obviously very proud of. I just hope I’m in some more of those games as we get further down the line.”

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