Scotland coach Jim Telfer heads for the scene of some of his most painful memories today looking to claim his first-ever win at the ground the English call HQ.

His players also know that victory at Twickenham would guarantee a happy ending to the greatest all-round career in Scottish rugby history. Since making his Test debut in 1964, Telfer has travelled to London with Scotland as player, coach, assistant coach and manager - but the best he has achieved on official duty was the 12-12 draw 10 years ago when he was working with Ian McGeechan.

Telfer's own latest assistant coach, John Rutherford, said yesterday: ''It would be fantastic to do it for him. If anybody deserves it, it's Jim.''

There is clearly a belief within the camp that they have the wherewithal to claim what would be only Scotland's fourth win ever at Twickenham and their third since World War II.

''We've worked hard, we've looked at a lot of games against South Africa and Australia and we know that, if we get our game plan spot on and get the breaks, the odd refereeing decision, we've got a real chance this time,'' Rutherford went on.

Team captain Gary Armstrong was, though, quick to make the point that there is much more incentive for all concerned than simply winning for a man who will be remembered as one of the great coaches, regardless of what happens today. ''It would be a fitting tribute to everybody to go out there and do the business,'' Armstrong observed.

''Our record down at Twickenham has been pretty appalling in the past. I'm sure we'll try to put that right tomorrow.''

That London is, though, the one place in the Five Nations' that has not succumbed to Telfer's formidable will is something he would love to put right. The man who scored a famous winning try in Paris in 1969; who coached Scotland to their first win in 20 years in Wales in 1982; and who has enjoyed many a win as player and coach in Dublin, has never had any luck in the English capital.

At the beginning of his career, he played eight straight games for Scotland before dropping out of the side for the drawn match at Twickenham in 1965 - and Scotland would lose both times he played there in 1967 and '69.

His Test career ended when he led the side to three straight championship defeats in 1970, Peter Brown taking his place and helping Scotland to victory over England at Murrayfield, the first of four wins in succession against the Auld Enemy, which included the famous 1971 Twickenham triumph.

On his first visit as coach, in 1981, Scotland's defeat cost Telfer the Triple Crown. He had been coach since the previous year and would remain in the job until the 1984 Grand Slam was won, but perversely, was on a sabbatical in 1983 when Scotland last won at Twickenham, because he had been chosen as that year's British Lions' coach.

Since then, there was that draw in '89 and a defeat in 1991, when he assisted McGeechan, as well as the record 41-13 mauling when he was manager two years ago.

Yet he himself does not feel weighed down by the prospect of returning to the scene of so many unhappy memories. Telfer pointed out yesterday: ''It's only the second time I've been here in charge of the team

''I wasn't in charge the last time we won here, Derrick Grant was. But the present players aren't burdened by history, because, although some of them may have played here before, there are eight or nine who haven't.''

Predictably, though, he has played down the significance of this being his final visit, having said he will retire after the World Cup. ''I've never even thought about it being my last time at Twickenham, so I don't think there's too much importance to that,'' he said.

''The important thing is that the players are well prepared and are mentally up for the game. We've been trying that for X number of years and only beaten them three or four times, so it will take a tremendous effort even to match them.

''Then, the luck of the game, refereeing decisions, whatever, will hopefully go your way.

''Every team has to be beaten at some time. England have done very well at home in the last 10 years against us and against the best teams in the world. But sometimes the kilted Jocks who go down there half-kegged with drink are hoping for the impossible.

''A lot of people have said to me, 'OK, you've beaten Wales, but this is the big one.' That's the way our mentality is in Scotland.

''It is a very big match and, although they've made one or two changes, England are very formidable. They're very well organised and very well captained, so if anybody's thinking that we can just go down there and play like we did against Wales, that'll be nowhere near good enough to beat England and the players will know that.

''But everything's possible. We went to France in '95 when we didn't think we'd win there and we won here in '83 when we didn't think we'd win then either.

''That's what makes the game at the highest level so interesting. I think there's an equalisation of the teams.

''Hopefully it's a nip and tuck game - and hopefully we'll get the rub of the green at the end of the day.''

qScotland must press forward - Page 2

qTop writers John Beattie, Brian Meek, and Sean Lineen view the big game

- Pages 2 and 3