Robinson: Looking forward to game

Scotland take on England in a must-win Pool B clash at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday, with Robinson hoping his side can progress to the quarter-finals at his former team's expense.

"You can never turn the clock back, you've always got to look forward," said Robinson, who was England head coach between September 2004 and November 2006 after being forwards coach in the 2003 World Cup-winning campaign.

"Historians like looking back, I'm the type of guy who likes looking forward and looking forward to challenges that are there.

"The guys are in great shape and I'm really looking forward to seeing how we face what is a phenomenal challenge for us tomorrow.

"England-Scotland games have always had massive hype about them and this one is going to be a fantastic occasion. We all should look forward to the game.

"I really hope it's another cracking Test match; two teams going head to head that know each other pretty well.

"For us it's about finding the answers to break down this England side.

"If we can do that, we've got the players to finish off and that's what we'll focus on."

The ingredients are all present for a momentous occasion.

The fixture is 140 years old, dating back to the first meeting at Raeburn Place in Edinburgh in 1871, yet this is the first time the two sides have met on neutral soil.

The Calcutta Cup will not be at stake, but the prize of progression to the last eight of the tournament is incentive enough.

Should Scotland, who lost 13-12 to Argentina last weekend, win by more than eight points - thus denying England a losing bonus point - they would extend their record of reaching at least the quarter-finals at every World Cup. It is 25 years since Scotland beat England by more than eight points.

Lose, without a bonus point, and Scotland would go home.

If Scotland claim a losing bonus point, Robinson's men would have to wait and hope Georgia can beat Argentina on Sunday.

The agonising loss to the Pumas last Sunday - when Scotland led by six points with eight minutes to go - has been put behind them and Robinson is totally focused on victory over England.

"The guys are in good shape," he added.

"We did a really good walk-through session in the middle of the hotel yesterday, which was cracking, walking and talking through scenarios.

"These are the games you do all the hard work and training for - to put yourselves in the position to take on a team with the class of England is great and they guys are fully up for it.

"All the boys are prepared to put their bodies on the line every time they play for Scotland.

"It feels absolutely fantastic that I'm involved in a side that's full of desire and enthusiasm to perform."

Robinson has selected a starting XV showing six changes from the side which lost to the Pumas in Wellington.

Captain Alastair Kellock returns in the second row, Euan Murray at tighthead prop and Richie Vernon starts at number eight, with Kelly Brown ruled out with concussion.

Mike Blair has been promoted to start at scrum-half, Sean Lamont has been moved to inside centre, with Simon Danielli taking his place on the wing, and Joe Ansbro is to start at outside centre.

Scotland's most-capped player and leading points scorer Chris Paterson is set to claim another record with his 15th World Cup appearance.

The goalkicking of the Edinburgh full-back, who is set to win his 109th cap, could be a crucial and England know the indiscipline which has followed them throughout the tournament thus far will be punished.

Paterson knows if Scotland can make light of their poor try count in recent times, the possibility of victory would be all the easier.

The 33-year-old said: "We need to win tomorrow and we need to win well. "Gregor Townsend, our attack coach, has always stated that to beat top teams you need to score tries. "Hopefully we'll talk about tries tomorrow."

This will be Paterson's 12th Test against England but he knows if Scotland do advance to the knockout stages, the games only get bigger.

He added: "If we did manage it, it would be 'well done, we did what we wanted to do' and we'd move on to the next one after that.

"(It is) a huge challenge. England are a great side.

"We know it's a big ask, but we've prepared well and we're desperately looking forward to it."