Chris Cusiter (born June 13, 1982) is a young scrum half who is a great future prospect for the Scotland national rugby union team and the British and Irish Lions. Originally from Aberdeen, he now plays for The Borders. June 13 is the 164th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (165th in leap years), with 201 days remaining. ... 1982 is a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A rugby union scrum In rugby football a scrummage or scrum is a way of restarting the game, either after an accidental infringement (in rugby union and rugby league, a set scrum), or when the ball has gone into touch (in rugby league only). ... Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union, a founder member of the International Rugby Board in 1886 with fellow Celtic nations Ireland and Wales. ... The official 2005 Lions logo The British and Irish Lions (formerly British Isles and then the British Lions; commonly the Lions) is a Rugby Union side comprising a pick of the best players from the four Home nation unions, i. ... Aberdeens location in Scotland Aberdeen (Obar Dheathain in Scottish Gaelic) is Scotlands third largest city, with a population of 212,125. ... Borders Rugby has many long and proud traditions, the Borders league was the first rugby union league to be set up. ...

Chris first shot to International fame in the 2004 Autumn Internationals, where he made four length of the field breaks in one match versus Australia, a match Scotland lost 17-31. His crisp pass, unpredictability from behind the rucks and mauls, tenacity in defence, and ability to slow up opposition ball by tackling the no.8 and opposing scrum-half, has made him one of the best in the World in his position.

Chris travelled with the British and Irish Lions in 2005. He was one of the youngest on the tour, yet many believe he was one of the players of the series, making an impact in every game, and producing two mesmerising displays against NPC sides Taranaki and Otago. Many believed the Scotsman should have been the starting no.9, including ex-greats Will Carling, Gavin Hastings, and even Gareth Jenkins, who wanted Cusiter over fellow Countryman Dwayne Peel. The official 2005 Lions logo The British and Irish Lions (formerly British Isles and then the British Lions; commonly the Lions) is a Rugby Union side comprising a pick of the best players from the four Home nation unions, i. ... Taranaki is a region in New Zealands North Island and the name of the mountain which is the regions main feature, Geography and people Taranaki is situated on a peninsula on the west coast of the North Island, surrounding the volcanic peak. ... Otago  pronunciation? is one of the regions of New Zealand and lies in the south-east of the South Island. ... William Carling OBE (born December 12, 1965) is a former rugby player, and captain of England from 1988 to 1996. ... Gavin Hastings (born January 3, 1962 in Edinburgh) of Watsonians, Cambridge University, Scotland and the British Lions was an outstanding rugby player of his generation. ... Dwayne Peel (born 31 August 1981 in Carmarthen) is a rugby union player who plays at scrum-half for Llanelli Scarlets and Wales. ...

Fortunately, or unfortunately for Scotland, they have a player in the same position with equally prestigious talent. Many have seen the irony in this, in that Scotland are lacking talent in many other positions, yet have two genuinely world class players in the same spot, Cusiter, and his Scottish sparring partner Mike Blair, Edinburgh’s scrum-half. Blair was considered very unlucky not to gain a Lions spot. Both players would arguably fit into any side in the World, domestically and Internationally. Mike Blair (born April 20, 1981 in Edinburgh) plays professional rugby union at scrum half for Edinburgh Rugby and the Scotland national rugby union team. ...

External links

• Chris Cusiter on Sporting Heroes
• Chris Cusiter on BBC Sport