Six Nations: Max Evans ready to return to scene of brother’s horror injury

Scotland travel to Cardiff on Sunday for the second round of the RBS 6 Nations, with the stadium roof set to be closed as the visitors seek to take on Wales at their own expansive game.

Wing Evans is certain Andy Robinson’s men can improve on their showing in the 13-6 loss to England, when chance after try-scoring chance was lost as the potential of the Scotland team was again not realised.

Evans said: “It’s going to continue to be the time to deliver. We need to deliver a good performance.

“We’ve got to keep the confidence we had going into that England game.

“We did put in a good performance and it was just the small margins - get those right and it’s a complete performance.”

Evans is confident Scotland’s profligacy with the try line in sight has been resolved by some focused training sessions.

He said: “It’s been addressed, so let’s hope we get it right against Wales.

“The main thing has been a real clear understanding. We know the pattern we’re trying to play, guys know where they’re supposed to be.

“We’ve been setting ourselves up in similar situations as we got ourselves in against England.

“We will get in those positions against Wales. It’s knowing the right thing to do.

“Where we might not have gone the right way during the game, we’ve corrected that in case we’re in a similar position against Wales.”

Scotland will return to the scene of one of their most devastating losses in recent times, not just in terms of the manner of defeat, but also in the injury toll, as they seek a first win in Cardiff in ten years.

Wales overturned a ten-point deficit with three minutes of normal time remaining to win 31-24 two years ago, while Chris Paterson suffered a lacerated kidney and Rory Lamont a knee injury.

The most serious injury was for Thom Evans, who required two neck operations at the University Hospital in Cardiff and saw his rugby career brought to a close following ten caps.

Evans said: “It will be interesting to see what the feelings are actually being in the Millennium Stadium and being on the field again.

“But I’ve always said I wasn’t aware of the severity of Thom’s injury until after the game.

“My feelings on the pitch were good, with my try and the way we were playing, just that terrible feeling [of defeat] at the end of the game.”

Evans believes it will be easier to cope as his brother is now embarking on an athletics career with the aim of competing at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

Evans, who is set to win his 26th cap on Sunday, added: “It’s a lot easier for me to not have that in the forefront of my mind because of how well Thom’s doing at the moment.

“It’s very exciting what he’s achieving at the moment, in terms of his sprinting.

“It’s still early days for him, but he’s starting to compete and he’s in a position where you wouldn’t know that he had broken his neck two years ago.”

As for the pain of defeat, those Scotland players involved two years ago - and there are 12 who are in the 22 on Sunday - are sure to use the emotion of the 2010 loss to aid their performance.

Evans said: “Not many guys need an added incentive to win games, but it’s going to help that bit more.”