Guinness Premiership

England wing Mark Cueto is struggling to keep his mind focused on the Six Nations tournament, admitting that concerns for the 'nightmare' happening at club side Sale are consuming his thoughts.

England are still in with shot at Six Nations glory this season and Saturday's clash against Andy Robinson's much-improved Scotland outfit is looming large on the horizon, but Cueto cannot help being weighed down by the plight of the Sharks in the Guinness Premiership.

"It's an absolute nightmare," he told the Mirror, "It's great to be involved with England and of course you want to do well for your country, but ultimately your club is your bread and butter."

In Cueto's absence, Sale have free-fallen from mid-table to the bottom of the Premiership, and with only seven league games left in the season, the possibility of relegation is fast-becoming a tangible threat.

The veteran back is left watching in despair, in the knowledge that he is helpless to do anything about it.
 
"I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Sale and it's tough watching from the outside and seeing what's happening.

"I'm rooming with Mat Tait, who also plays for Sale, and the club is the first thing we talk about in the morning and the last thing we talk about at the end of the day.

"Now the club is in a bit of a hole I want to do my bit to dig them out. But for the time being I can't. I have to focus on England.

"I beat myself up about it but I've got a job to do for England and I can't let it affect my performance."

The 38-times capped international is a Sale man through-and-through, and he had no hesitation a new four-year deal in November.

"Sale made me feel wanted, they made me feel valued," he explained. "That really hit home when Lewis Moody was not offered a new contract by Leicester after a dozen years playing for them.

The 29 year-old though, knows that a drop to Division One would not be an ideal situation for anyone aiming for a spot in the World Cup squad, and he admits that if it does happen he would be forced to look at other options.

"I don't think it would be an option [to stay], for me or the club, for me to be playing in Division One," he said. "But I'm not thinking like that.

"We know we're underachieving at the moment but it's too good a club and too good a playing squad to go down. The boys will pull together, all of us."

"I beat myself up about it but I've got a job to do for England and I can't let it affect my performance."

Despite being haunted by the woes of their ailing club side, Cueto and Tait intend to put on a performance for England that will inspire their club mates at Sale.

"We've got a responsibility to play well for England, not only for ourselves and for England, but for the boys back at Sale," said Cueto.

"If we can show them that we're playing well for the country, hopefully it will give them all a boost."