The England coaching trio of Graham Rowntree, Stuart Lancaster and Andy Farrell pose with the Calcutta Cup © Getty Images

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Matches: Scotland 6 - 13 England

Players/Officials: Stuart Lancaster

Tournaments/Tours: Six Nations

Teams: England

Stuart Lancaster confirmed he has applied to become England's full-time coach after watching his side open their Six Nations campaign with a hard-fought 13-6 victory over Scotland.

England's interim coach, who also shed blood at Murrayfield having accidentally punched a light fitting in the coaches' box as he celebrated Charlie Hodgson's try in the early moments of the second half, was delighted to come through a severe test of his new side's credentials and immediately set his sights on becoming Martin Johnson's permanent successor.

"My application has gone in,'' said Lancaster, who will be up against candidates recommended to the Rugby Football Union by city head-hunters Odgers. "To take the head coaching job of England and to get the first win was the greatest feeling I have had in rugby.

"I punched the ceiling light and split my finger when Charlie scored. I asked the doc after the game whether it needed to be looked at and he put in two stitches! It was the first time Andy Farrell, Graham Rowntree and I had worked together in a game. There was a mixture of nerves and excitement.

"There was a responsibility and a pressure to provide the performance, particularly given we had taken over a group that was struggling. It has been pretty tough for England since the World Cup quarter-final game against France. We have not won here since 2004 and to have come away with a win has hopefully given people at home something to smile about.''

Lancaster's ambition when he took over as caretaker coach was to cleanse the tarnished image of the national team following the World Cup and was delighted the inspirational speeches from figures such as England footballer Gary Neville, England rugby league captain Jamie Peacock and Corporal Simon Brown, an Afghanistan veteran, had the desired effect.

"We have been delighted with the attitude we showed, particularly in defence. Our discipline was very good and so was our desire to work hard, play for each other, play for the shirt,'' Lancaster said. "They are the things we have talked about and it was great to see them come through. If we hadn't built the foundations in the way we did, you don't get the quality of commitment in the team.

"You could hear the players talk about some of the things the speakers said. It all adds up to building a team. To get a win first up gives the players confidence we are going in the right direction. I think they knew it but it was nice to reinforce it.''

England started with three debutants in Owen Farrell, who kicked two penalties and a conversion, alongside Brad Barritt in the centres and Phil Dowson at No.8. Four more made their debuts off the bench, when Lancaster took the bold move of sending on Lee Dickson, Jordan Turner-Hall, Ben Morgan and Geoff Parking for the final quarter with the game on a knife-edge.

But England kept tackling and, crucially, kept their discipline - something they had lacked the whole way through Johnson's regime. "We had done a lot of defending and there was an energy balance that was tipping in Scotland's favour at the 60th minute. You have to trust the players and we certainly trusted the bench,'' Lancaster said. "I always believed after the World Cup it was an opportunity to start again, it was time to build a new England team.''

Lancaster has warned Toby Flood he cannot expect to walk straight back into the England team for Saturday's clash with Italy. But the reality is that he may well do, as England monitor the shoulder injury which forced Charlie Hodgson to leave the field early in Saturday's 13-6 Calcutta Cup victory over Scotland.

Hodgson had scored the decisive try on his first Test start in four years as England launched their "new era" and their campaign with a tenacious win. The England medics will keep tabs on Hodgson while Flood returns to the squad after making his comeback from a knee ligament injury with a 30-minute appearance for Leicester at the weekend.

Flood will have until tomorrow evening, when England's 32-man squad is trimmed down ahead of the team selection, to convince interim head coach Lancaster of his match fitness.

"I want to make sure people have to work hard to get into the team," Lancaster said. "I think there has to be real competition for the shirt and you have to prize it when you get it - and not let go of it."