Captain’s advice helps settle nerves

CHRIS FUSARO was told by the man he’s replaced to “leave everything on the pitch” in tomorrow’s Calcutta Cup game — except maybe the contents of his stomach.

The 24-year-old from Cupar will win his first cap in place of outgoing captain Kelly Brown at open-side in the Scotland pack, and typically Brown was among the first to give his congratulations.

Fusaro, meanwhile, admitted feeling a little sick when told of his selection, which is not an uncommon experience for him.

Such is Fusaro’s drive and adrenalin, he’s always sick before a game — and occasionally during it.

“I get a bit nervous,” he said. “I still go through that, unfortunately it’s become part of my routine.”

He could barely keep down his breakfast with the shock of finding he was in the team, having prepared himself for anything and nothing.

“I was f inishing breakfast yesterday (Wednesday) when team manager Gav Scott said Scott wanted to speak to me. I was ready for whatever it was but it was still a shock when he said I would be starting.

“It was overwhelming and emotional at the time, but I’m totally focused on the match now.”

Brown came over once the team was announced and offered any advice or help he could.

Fusaro added: “I’ve got a lot of respect for him as a player and as a captain and he said ‘anything you want to ask, come and speak to me’. It’s absolutely a mark of what kind of guy he is.

“It wasn’t awkward at all, he was very genuine, congratulated me and said ‘any help you want the door’s always open.’

“He just talked about dealing with the hype that surrounds the Calcutta Cup, and to relish the moment. He always says, ‘leave nothing out on the pitch’.”

Fusaro is a product of the Howe of Fife club and the all-conquering team from Cupar that won the Scottish Schools and Youth Cups in the same season, and naturally his thoughts turned to the grounding he had at Duffus Park.

“There’s been a lot of messages from people who I owe so much to, like Garry Horne, John Lathangie and Sammy Wilson, my coaches at the Howe who are still coaching there,” he continued.

“All the thanks also have to go to my girlfriend Katie and my mum and dad.”

Thanks to dad Luigi, who with Chris’s uncles runs the Luvians ice cream and bottle shops in Cupar and St Andrews, the new Scotland openside could have played for Italy.

“I was dual-qualified until I played for Scotland 7s,” he said. “My grandparents were born in Italy although dad was born here.

“I never gave it a thought, though, my dream was a lway s to play for Scotland.”

T h a t seemed to be beyond him as much as six months ago, when Johnson took him aside and told him that he was too one- dimensional. “You don’t want to go to a national camp and hear that, but you try and take the positives and it gave me something to work at and focus on with Glasgow,” he said. “Over the ball is still my strength, and that’s what I’ll be focusing on in Saturday’s game. I’m just going to try to relish and enjoy the experience.”

Johnson said that he had wanted Fusaro to work on aspects of his game and the player had responded.

“He was industrious before but he wasn’t getting the 50-50 confrontations going his way,” said the coach.

“I thought some of that was technical, and some of it was that he wanted to compete in everything, and you can’t. You have to be smart, Richie McCaw doesn’t contest every ball.

“We want a proper 7, a groundfeeder. Chris’s form says he’s put up his hand and I’m not being true to what we stand for if I’m not giving him a chance.”

SNS Group. Chris Fusaro.