De Luca: We must focus for 80 minutes

Scotland centre Nick De Luca believes his team can channel their RBS 6 Nations frustration into a positive performance in Dublin this weekend.

The Scots are looking for their first points of the tournament after narrow home defeats by France and England and a 27-13 loss in Wales, when De Luca was one of two players sent to the sin bin.

Andy Robinson’s men won their previous away game against Ireland as they seized their final chance to taste Six Nations victory in 2010, and De Luca insists they have the confidence to do so again on Saturday.

De Luca, who returns to the team in place of the injured Rory Lamont, said: “It’s been a very frustrating championship in general.

“We are performing better but we are performing for 65-70 minutes and, in that time where we are not on the ball, we have leaked a lot of points, or been yellow-carded.

“It’s really important that all of us give an 80-minute performance and concentrate on whatever it takes.

“I think we were in this position two years when we went over to Ireland and we hadn’t had a win yet, and put in our best performance.

“So I don’t think you can doubt the energy and commitment that there will be this weekend and I’m looking forward to seeing everyone stepping up and performing.

“Bizarrely, even though we are not winning games, the confidence is high, and it will be similar to then.

“But Ireland are a quality side and we are fully aware that we all have to be on the ball.”

De Luca impressed in the 23-17 defeat by France after replacing Lamont when the winger broke his leg.

He added: “I’m thrilled to be back involved. I got dropped the week before and I managed to come on and respond really well so I’m really happy to get the faith to get the jersey back.”

Robinson has also demanded a complete performance after making just the one enforced change from the France game, during which Scotland led twice.

“The first 15 minutes we showed the way we want to play the game – the pace we had and the control we had in the game with different options,” he said.

“Defensively we were very good. We just drop off for a couple of minutes and France score an easy try and that puts the scoreline at 10-10.

“That’s the key for us, to understand that we have to perform for 80 minutes. We can’t drop off at any stage.

“This weekend the breakdown is going to be a key battle. The Irish are very physical in and around the tackle.

“We need to get speed of the ball from the breakdown and we are working on techniques to get that.”