Gavin Hastings has told Scotland's players to ignore the Eddie Jones mind games because he fears they have enough to worry about ahead of Saturday's trip to Twickenham.
The 1990 Grand Slam legend has watched with interest as the likes of Finn Russell and Ryan Wilson have laughed off the England head coach's comments in the build-up to the Calcutta Cup encounter.
Hastings insists that is the right approach - because he fears for the outcome against an Auld Enemy side still reeling from their defeat at BT Murrayfield last year.
'Eddie knows exactly what he is doing,' Hastings told Sportsmail. 'He is trying to push the buttons of the Scotland players. I honestly don't think we want to rise to his comments. I think we should just ignore him. The things he is saying aren't worth worrying about.
Gavin Hastings has urged Scotland's players to continue to ignore Eddie Jones' mind games
Hastings is pleased Scotland's stars have laughed off Jones' remarks about a 'grudge match'
'It is important that the players have reacted the way they have.
'If they did anything else other than laugh it off then he would be saying he has got to us. Scotland are doing the right thing by not reacting to it.
'As well as trying to get under the skin of the Scotland players, he is also trying to subtly motivate his own squad with his words. He is going public by saying how much it hurt him last year to lose at Murrayfield and accusing the Scots of things.
'It will maybe fire up his own players a little bit more, too. If that is a side effect of Eddie's mind games that is bad news for Scotland.'
Hastings was already worried about what would happen at Twickenham even before Jones turned up the heat. He has been disappointed and frustrated at Scotland in this season's campaign and their dreadful record at Twickenham also makes his blood run cold.
Hastings played in a golden era of Scottish rugby that produced world-class players such as himself, David Sole, Craig Chalmers, Gary Armstrong and John Jeffrey. Yet he never managed to win at Twickenham in four attempts in 1987, 1991, 1993 and 1995.
The 1990 Grand Slam winner doesn't though think Scotland can beat England at Twickenham
'I know how hard it is to win there,' he said. 'We had some very good players in my era but never came away with a win. The loss by 24-12 in 1995 was hardest to take as it was the final game and we were going for the Grand Slam - and lost.
'Look, it is hard enough to beat England, full stop. I only did it twice in my whole career and never at Twickenham. Give them home advantage and they're formidable.'
So what chance does he give this current injury-ravaged, under- performing Scotland team of becoming the first to win at the home of English rugby for 36 years?
Usually the eternal optimist when it comes to Scotland's chances in any match, Hastings doesn't mince his words.
'Anyone thinking we have got more than the tiniest of possibilities, the slimmest of chances, of winning at Twickenham, well I am sorry to say are very wrong,' he said.
'This is going to be backs-to-the-wall stuff. Everybody will have to fight for every scrap of possession.
'Every
