IT was a day for casting minds back at Twickenham. For Scotland, 1983 was the year on their collective conscious, the date of the last occasion they came to London and beat the 'Auld Enemy'. All they've endured on their sojourns south since has been undiluted misery.

As for England, November 2003 was the date on everyone's lips. Their World Cup winning victory over Australia in Sydney not only represented the moment they last posed a genuine threat on the world stage, it was also the last occasion in which Jonny Wilkinson stretched that skin-tight white shirt over his head and played for his country. The Newcastle out-half has suffered injuries to every conceivable part of this body since then, and a couple of internal organs too, but his reintroduction to top level rugby yesterday was a fully qualified success.

The out-half played as though he'd never been away, scoring 27 points during his 79 minutes on the park. His kicking game, for all kinds of angles, was astonishingly polished, while he also ran proceedings for England with some purpose and no little control. His 60th minute try had more than an element of luck about it - television replays appeared to show his right foot hitting touch just before he touched the ball down - but it was a piece of fortune his efforts deserved.

He's definitely back.

Aside from Wilkinson's return, there were a couple more things for Ireland to worry about ahead of England's Croke Park visit in three weeks. Andy Farrell looked completely at home at inside centre, Harry Ellis was a constant sniping presence at the base of the England scrum, while the home side's backrow, and in particular Martin Corry and Joe Worsely, produced an outstanding effort.

Plenty for Ireland to ponder, then, but England's rusty start did hint that their problems are not completely solved just yet. Wilkinson's opening scores, a ninth minute penalty and, of course, a 23rd minute drop-goal had the Twickenham crowd in raptures, but overall it was a pretty muddled opening period from Ashton's side. Harry Ellis did almost ground the ball having been pushed over the line by half his pack but somehow the scrum-half contrived to place the ball on his head rather than on the turf.

But while England were running about the place in a fairly unintelligible manner, Scotland kept things simple.

Their pack constantly probed the short side and Dan Parks regularly put them deep into English territory with that spiralling right boot of his. Chris Paterson levelled matters on 22 minutes with a penalty from the left of the posts, and eight minutes later they sneaked a precious try.

Parks, for the third time in as many minutes, lobbed a kick over Jason Robinson's head into touch and when George Chuter overthrew at the lineout, Simon Taylor picked up the crumbs to claim the score.

Paterson's conversion put Scotland four points in front but that wake-up call did signal a general improvement in England's game. An Ellis snipe from inside his own half would have ended in a try had any of his teammates been able to keep up with him, but that break signalled the beginning of some intense English pressure. Wilkinson cut Scotland's lead to just a point with a penalty after Scotland had infringed at the line-out and three minutes before the break the out-half replicated the trick to put the home side back in front. Order restored.

Then, in first-half injury time, came the backline fluidity that Ashton's teams have always been renowned for.

Farrell, standing at first receiver, started a move from left to right that went through the hands of Mike Tindall and Wilkinson before Jason Robinson cut the line and whizzed over in the corner. It was precision rugby at its best and it effectively signalled an end to Scotland's endeavours. Paterson and Wilkinson did exchange penalties immediately after the restart but England, and in particular their meaty pack of forwards, began to exert their power. On 55 minutes a line-out maul garnered a good 20 metres before the lively Ellis fly-hacked the ball towards the corner.

Robinson chased towards the corner and his persistence paid off as Sean Lamont made a hash of mopping things up, allowing the England winger to simply apply the downward pressure. Bang on the hour mark, Wilkinson swallowdived his way over in the corner to put the result beyond all doubt and before the end Magnus Lund squeezed his way over in the left-hand corner. Scotland did rally towards the end - Rob Dewey crossing for a nice try - but the year 1983 still lingers in their minds. England, meanwhile, can leave 2003 in the history books. Where it belongs.

ENGLAND O Morgan; J Lewsey, M Tindall, A Farrell, J Robinson; J Wilkinson, H Ellis; P Freshwater, G Chuter, P Vickery (c), L Deacon, D Grewcock, J Worsley, M Lund, M Corry Subs T Rees for Worsley, 65mins; T Flood for Wilkinson, L Mears for Chuter and J White for Vickery, all 79mins Scorers Wilkinson try, 2 cons, 5 pens, drop-goal; Robinson 2 tries;

Lund try SCOTLAND H Southwell; S Lamont, M Di Rollo, A Henderson, C Paterson (c); D Parks, C Cusiter; G Kerr, D Hall, E Murray, A Kellock, J Hamilton, S Taylor, D Callam, K Brown Subs A Jacobsen for Kerr, 56mins; S Murray for Kellock, 64mins; A Hogg for K Brown and R Dewey for Henderson, both 65mins; R Ford for Hall, 67mins; R Lawson for Cusiter, 71mins; R Lamont for Parks, 74mins Scorers Paterson 2 cons, 2 pens; Taylor and Dewey try Referee M Jonker (SA)