NEWCASTLE'S Jonny Wilkinson will spearhead England's bid to regain the Calcutta Cup today, and admits: ''I know that people expect me to play well.''

Wilkinson was three when Scotland last won at Twickenham, a 22-12 triumph in 1983 orchestrated by their renowned half-back pairing of John Rutherford and Roy Laidlaw.

But since making his international debut as a second-half substitute against Ireland in 1998, Wilkinson has developed into a peerless match-winner.

He needs 21 points today, six more than his Test match average, to remove Rob Andrew from the England record books.

While his Newcastle mentor amassed his 396 total over 71 games - he was not always first-choice England goal-kicker - Wilkinson could get there from just 26 appearances, and still almost three months short of his 22nd birthday.

It would represent a remarkable achievement, but is nothing more than English fans have become accustomed to from a player who breaks records for fun.

More importantly perhaps, Wilkinson is comfortable with that shoulder-pressing weight of expectancy every time he takes the field in a white jersey.

''I know people expect me to play well and kick the goals,'' he said.

''But they also expect Lawrence Dallaglio to keep running with the ball and knocking people over, and Martin Johnson to take every lineout ball.

''It is all a reflection of the fact that the team is performing consistently, and that breeds expectation.

''Everyone reacts differently to pressure, and with me, it's all about working harder and harder to keep improving. I am driven to become a better player.''

Former Scotland skipper Gary Armstrong, Wilkinson's Newcastle half-back partner, rates him the best fly-half he has played alongside.

Praise indeed, but plaudits are something the modest and softly-spoken Wilkinson has had to take in his stride.

England boss Clive Woodward hailed him the world's best fly-half after a Six Nations record 35-point haul helped send Italy packing two weeks ago.

But Wilkinson will go into the third leg of an anticipated Six Nations Grand Slam having shown that he can be reduced to mere mortal status.

He missed four kicks at goal when Newcastle won the Tetley's Bitter Cup last Saturday - audible gasps from a 71,000 crowd accompanied each failure - and he sent a drop-goal attempt wide for good measure.

Typically, the perfectionist streak that runs right through him guaranteed an inevitable response when quizzed about those uncharacteristic lapses.

''It was irritating and frustrating,'' he said. ''When you train hard to kick those sort of kicks in pressure situations, it is disappointing when things don't go right.

''Each kick is a separate event, and if it doesn't go quite right then you get instant mental feedback.

''I missed them all for different reasons, and it's extremely irritating when you know exactly what you have done wrong, but there is no reason why you should have done it.

''It was a case of what was happening in and around the ball, the strike area,'' he added.

Scotland need not raise their hopes. Wilkinson's rare off-day was quickly forgotten.

''It bothered me over the weekend, although I was far more interested in the result of the game,'' he conceded.

''But I could not afford to bring it with me when I reported for England duty. A week like this one is far too important for any distractions.''

It is that ruthless professionalism and quest for perfection epitomised by Wilkinson which manifests itself throughout an England side unbeaten in six Tests since South Africa's controversial Pretoria victory last summer.

While Scotland, whose solitary Six Nations win from seven starts was against England 11 months ago, possess sufficient individual talent to make life difficult, that will not be enough.

Line-out ace Scott Murray, prop Tom Smith, scrum-half Andy Nicol, stung by his surprise omission from the 67-man provisional British Lions list, centre John Leslie and full back Chris Paterson could pose their share of problems.

But collectively, Scotland fall short of being able to threaten an England side whose physical presence up-front might prove overpowering.

The Scots' famous Grand Slam-wrecking success last April was based on hard graft, Duncan Hodge's goal-kicking and a tactical appreciation of how to play in those monsoon Murrayfield conditions.

Four of the current England team who were not involved in the starting line-up that day - skipper Martin Johnson, his magnificent second-row partner Danny Grewcock, centre Will Greenwood and full-back Iain Balshaw - will be key men today.

England's forwards look too strong, and an emphatic home win by 20 points or more looks likely.

l France coach Bernard Laporte has made six changes to the France line-up for today's clash with Italy in Rome.

Veteran Toulouse prop Christian Califano for Sylvain Marconnet is the only switch up front.

But behind the scrum Laporte has had a wholesale clear-out.

Four players have been dropped, while Xavier Garbajosa is out because of a thigh injury, replaced by 34-year-old Jean-Luc Sadourny, who will win his 69th cap.

Scrum-half Fabien Galthie returns after a one-match suspension in place of Philippe Carbonneau, with centres Richard Dourthe and Franck Comba - who did not even make the squad - replaced by debutant Sebastien Bonetti and the returning Thomas Lombard