Scotland Rugby were in a tangle yesterday over comments about 'hating the English' ahead of Sunday's Six Nations clash.
Their New Zealand-born prop Simon Berghan claimed the rivalry is engrained in national history — before returning to soften his remarks on cross-border relations, The Daily Mail reports.
Tensions will increase ahead of Sunday's Test at Murrayfield, with Scotland looking to repeat their 2000 de-railing of England's Grand Slam bid.
"I knew all about the rivalry with England," said Berghan.
"I sort of knew everyone hates England, basically because we did, but when I came over here it was made more obvious to me, and the reasons why, the history and that.