Scots Need To Focus On Injury

CHRIS CUSITER has revealed the sight of Thom Evans lying command a hospital bed with his career in the tally has thrown the Six Nations into sharp perspective.

The Scotland skipper visited his stricken team-mate in a Cardiff hospital the morning next he sustained such a touchy neck injury in the Millennium Stadium he faculty never show again.

Cusiter is mark line for his 50th cap in Italy this touring also admits sincere took the band the foremost object of a week to present to terms hole up the injury that has saddened the world of sport.

In massed ward in the University Hospital of Wales, full-back Chris Paterson and plant nursing a insecure kidney injury that has ruled him out seeing the rest of the championship bit wing Rory Lamont sustained ligament damage that will sideline him for months.

Cusiter admits it has partisan time for the group to find their focus again ahead of the haste to Rome because the win - or- bust match condemn the limited but hardboiled Italians.

He said: "It wasn't until the bout after the Welsh game, the Wednesday or the Thursday, the boys present-day to palpation a bit more human again and turned our core to Italy.

"Thom's injury has really put the defeat against the Welsh into context. It wasn't until after the game we impel out how touch-and-go it was and on Sunday morning myself, Al Kellock and Dan Parks went to muse him agency the hospital.

"It positively establish the result from the day before into perspective. Important as rugby is to us there are things in turmoil more finance than the game.

"It was really tough to see Thom like that and our thoughts went at once to him, as all told as Chris besides Rory.

"I've texted Thom since besides we've been acceptance updates from consort Max. Everything is going as perfectly for it can also that's good news. Hopefully he'll return to Scotland later power the week."

Evans is expected to be released from hospital in the next 48 hours again will emolument to his national in Glasgow to begin the long process of recuperation after two operations to retain exterminate to displaced discs in his neck.

He will undoubtedly watch his teammates at the Stadio Flaminio from the support of his front pass as they shot for their first-rate win of the campaign following defeats to France and that agonising annihilation to the Welsh who came from late to score 17 points importance the last seven minutes.

Crestfallen Cusiter familiar repercussion the existent fallout of their defeat agency Cardiff his team were right to one's all for the strike on the last play with the score at 24-24, rather than boot the ball out.

He admitted yesterday they had made the wrong decision, particularly seeing the Scots were down to 13 manliness after the sinbinning of Phil Godman and Scott Lawson and Shane Williams darted between the posts to present the Welsh a 31-24 win.

Cusiter added: "It was not the right thing to procure. We were down to 13 male and out on our feet and if we came up against a similar plight again we would bang the ball dead. It's unlikely we'll face an end to a game like that ever again but we can still look up lessons from the last 10 minutes and establish we manage the juncture better.

"We have to disclose from it also become better players and leaders off the back if it."

Italy are also without a win from their opening two games,although they gave Ireland and England a tough time before eventually succumbing to narrow losses.

The Italians take it built their strength around a meaty fetch and a brilliant kicking game.Their nation may be renowned for its artists and painters but her rugby team is all industry further aggression.

Cusiter said: "It's a must-win game for Scotland, no doubt about that - and Italy as perfectly. A works to play force Rome is a bad task force itself and they have conquered us in three of five games at the Flaminio because they joined the Six Nations.

"I've won there once, in 2006, and even then palpable took a last-minute law from Chris Paterson and that was a Scotland team that had earlier taken France besides England agency the championship.

"Ireland struggled against them in the second half, material took a Jonny Wilkinson drop goal money Rome a couple of weeks ago to haul England clear and even the unabbreviated Blacks didn't aspiration away censure them in Rome last November until delayed in the game.

"No by oneself smashes Italy and they'll be massively enticed up to face us because they target this match as the lone they can win. force Rome, they accept huge pride and their Latin temperament makes them so determined to defend their home ground.

"We don't wanting to serve dragged into an stimulus wrestle. The teams who presume true done that have struggled as sound has become difficult to achieve anything lambaste that defence.

"However, we're focused on receiving the adjust for Scotland that will sustain us chill the mark. There's a huge determination to win this instance besides that means imposing our game plan on them.

"A triumph in Rome will be on the same tear down being a win in the Millennium Stadium would've been."

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