Cusiter relishing autumn tests
Scotland captain Chris Cusiter says he is relishing the chance to play New Zealand this autumn having missed out on Scotland's tour to Argentina.
Cusiter did not travel to Argentina because of a knee injury and he says that the blow has given him a revamped drive and determination to do well against the best side currently playing international rugby.
It is big news for Scotland who have missed the vocal and physical presence of their captain. They will need him to be on top form against the All Blacks because he will have to quickly invent ways during games to stop New Zealand from playing their way.
Cusiter has a number of playing attributes that should help him settle back in to the team with ease. However, some are predicting that his inclusion will make little difference and any the potential of heavy defeats to New Zealand is dangerously worrying.
Playing attributes
The biggest attribute that Cusiter brings to the Scotland team is his leadership skills. He's not afraid to get stuck in and set an example for the rest of the team and this is important because Scotland may have a few anxious members in their side before the games with New Zealand.
He controls the middle areas of the field very well. He has the pace and strength to dart across small areas of turf in order to make sure there are no gaps in the middle of the team. This forces the opposition to play wider and Scotland can defend against this if they stay well organised.
Cusiter has played 55 times for Scotland and clearly knows what it takes to make it in the current Scotland team. He's only scored 15 points, which suggests that he focuses on the defensive side of the game and the Scots will need a lot of players to do this against the Kiwis.
Cusiter said: "I missed out on Argentina and the lads came back with two great results so I was disappointed to miss out on that. I'm hugely determined to get fit and force my way back into the team. Everyone is excited about these three games. Playing the top two teams in the world is a huge challenge, one you never take for granted."
A mountain task
Scotland face a mountain task if they are going to get a win over New Zealand because the Kiwis are the best side in global rugby at this moment in time.
New Zealand have the potential to carry out an emphatic win over an opposition side, which will dent morale and confidence in that side. Any big win the Kiwis have over Scotland could impact morale ahead of the World Cup next year.
Cusiter added: "To face the Haka and the best team in the world is a huge thing. South Africa have been playing some great rugby since the World Cup and Samoa are one of the most physical teams in the world. They produce some of the most talented players in the world, which is amazing for such a small island."
Betting advice
Back New Zealand until the cows come home because Cusiter being put back in the Scotland team is not going to make a difference. The All Blacks will have to have a very off day and the Scots a very good day if this series is going to be any different from a 3-0 sweep to New Zealand.
Avoid any bets on Cusiter as an individual in a game because he does not score that many points. Whoever plays the kicking role in the Scotland side will be the much better option.
Wilkinson out of England training camp
Toulon scrum-half Jonny Wilkinson has been left out of an England training camp, which will meet at Twickenham ahead of the autumn test matches.
It seems that Wilkinson did not do enough towards the back end of last season with Toulon to feature in Martin Johnson's immediate plans.He has also struggled in recent times with injury that has kept him out of both international and French domestic rugby.
The England team now features a generation of younger players such as Toby Flood who have come in to the side and done very well. This has made it difficult for players like Wilkinson to feature in Johnson's immediate plans.
Wilkinson's absence will mean that the side are missing an experienced and high quality player. However, Johnson says this is simply a case of the side moving on.
A quality player
Wilkinson has been a quality player in the world of rugby for a long time. He has played 80 times for England and scored 1,111 points in the process. These are statistics that not all rugby players enjoy and they prove how successful Wilkinson has been in the sport.
Wilkinson clearly has a great deal of experience and this is key in high pressure situations. The World Cup of next summer is looming so all international matches up to that point will mean the England team will be put under intense pressure.
Wilkinson has the ability to help ease that pressure, which would allow the more flamboyant members of the team to have an effect. His kicking means that England will always be in touch with the opposition even if they aren't playing well during a game.
Johnson said: "We believe that these have been the right decisions to take after close and amicable consultation with the clubs concerned. We will continue to have regular contact and, subject to fitness, look forward to seeing all of the players when we meet again at the end of October ahead of the Investec internationals."
Moving on
It is impossible to expect Wilkinson to play forever and Johnson dropping him from the training camp squad is not an indication that his quality has declined, it's an indication that England have moved on.
Toby Flood has done very well in the kicking role for England so far in his short career. He's been slightly less effective than Wilkinson but his 85 points in 31 games shows that he can be versatile and do a job in a game for England.
There are very few sides in the history of rugby who have kept faith with high scoring players simply for the sake of their statistics. The World Cup next year looks as though it's going to be more intense than ever before and England need to take a step forward instead of going back to the same players.
Betting advice
There is litle doubt that Wilkinson is the most assured kicker in world rugby but England have played well without him for a long time. They did well in the Southern Hemisphere and won their last test match against Australia.
Right now England are an outside bet for the World Cup next year. They need to show off and perform during the autumn tests in order to show they are an improving side capable of beating anyone in the game. There will be no tougher test than the All Blacks.
Flood is a good candidate to back in games. His kicking is not bad by any means and gets him a lot of points over the course of a match, which means he'll always be a candidate to score the most points.
Tags: