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England coach Brian Ashton says the 42-20 Calcutta Cup victory over Scotland marks the start of a new era.
Ashton took charge of the national team after a miserable run of results under his predecessor Andy Robinson and his reign began with an emphatic success at Twickenham.
Jonny Wilkinson marked his return after a three-year injury nightmare with a superb performance, scoring 27 points, while new captain Phil Vickery galvanised the team.
"We've drawn a line under the autumn," said Ashton, who was handed the reins after England's eighth defeat in nine internationals against South Africa in the autumn.
"It's a brand new start, it's a new team. We had to find a starting point and I think we found that starting point today.
"We need to look at areas of the game we can improve on because I have no doubt next week's game (against Italy) will be difficult."
Wilkinson may have caught the eye with his fine display, which brought a Calcutta Cup record points haul, but Ashton also paid tribute to his half-back partner Harry Ellis.
"I did actually say to him when he came off the pitch that he must have been pretty close to man of the match," said Ashton.
"That was the best number nine display he has shown for England which is a credit to him. It shows the development in his game.
"He is actually looking now for opportunities to create space and to make so many clean breaks in an international is unusual but it's also credit to the forwards who drove the Scottish forwards back and pulled them in to create the space."
Wilkinson was back on the international scene just a week after returning to club action with Newcastle after a three-month absence, but his performance fully vindicated his selection.
"He's come back and done it again," said Ashton. "He played better than when he last played and I thought he controlled the game pretty well.
"He's a world-class goalkicker and I thought he tackled particularly well."
Scotland coach Frank Hadden believed some crucial decisions had gone against his team.
Hadden was critical of video referee Donal Courtney for allowing Wilkinson's try when he appeared to go into touch and he also disputed the first of Jason Robinson's two touchdowns.
"The one thing I was concerned about all week was that something freakish might happen to affect the game," he said.
"With the soft try that Jason Robinson scored, even watching it again, they both got their hands on it at the same time," he said.
"But to be hit a second time with the Jonny Wilkinson try, which was quite clearly not a score, it was an unbelievable decision from the TMO.
"We needed everything to go our way if we were to come to Twickenham and win and it was obviously not going to be our day."
Hadden added: "I thought England played extremely well, I think we forced them to play well.
"We knew it would be a massive physical battle and it certainly turned out that way. I thought we gave as good as we got for a good part of it."
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Source: BBC Sport |
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