England must be braver, says Mark Cueto

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10 April 2012

Mark Cueto wants England to be more adventurous against Italy on Sunday as he looks to break his own run of seven Tests without a try.

The Sale winger is the elder statesman of an exciting England back three completed by full-back Delon Armitage and fellow wing Ugo Monye.

Despite helping to beat Wales 30-17 last week, the trio had precious few opportunities to attack the visitors out wide and their pace and power was largely unused as an offensive weapon.

With the Italians more likely to be fragmented by England's game plan, the back three should find extra room in Rome to showcase their talents and the return to the side of the fit-again Riki Flutey to the midfield will help them even further.

Cueto wants to seize the opportunity and said: "Everything is judged on your results and we are excited about the potential we have got in this squad but the win over Wales will mean nothing if we don't back it up in the next six weeks, starting against Italy.

"As a back three, myself, Delon and Ugo were a bit rusty at the weekend because it's been a few months since we were together in the autumn and it showed.

"The three of us help each other out and being the older one, you do take on the leadership role but it is an open forum.

"We were all frustrated not having that many opportunities with the ball in hand against the Welsh but we coped pretty well. Maybe as a team we need to be a little bit braver and push that pass out rather than just being 100 per cent secure."

Cueto scored a hat-trick of tries against Italy in 2005 and claimed one in the win over the Azzurri at Twickenham last year. A month later he got a try against France but that was his last score on the international scene.

The 30-year-old said: "When you are scoring tries the game is great, but there are other aspects which are just as important and at the moment my work rate, defence , kicking and catching are as good as ever. The only thing missing is the tries.

"There have been periods like this before and it is the old bus cliche that you wait for ages for one and then three or four come along. I hope that first one will come sooner rather than later.

"As a winger, if the opportunities were there and you weren't taking them then the frustration would be even greater but it's almost a case of them not being there.

"It means you are not missing any glaring ones and kicking yourself. However, regardless of that, you want to get over the line."

With centre Flutey having recovered from a dead leg, he was today recalled by Martin Johnson to face Italy with Toby Flood making way.

The other change to the team who beat Wales sees David Wilson out of the XV due to a neck problem and his place going to Leicester tight-head prop Dan Cole.

Team manager Johnson will delay naming his replacements until the full extent of Wilson's injury is known.

England team: D Armitage (L Irish), M Cueto (Sale), M Tait (Sale), R Flutey (Brive), U Monye (Harlequins), J Wilkinson (Toulon), D Care (Harlequins); T Payne (Wasps), D Hartley (Northampton), D Cole (Leicester), S Shaw (Wasps), S Borthwick (Saracens, capt), J Haskell (Stade), L Moody (Leicester), N Easter (Harlequins).

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