Rory Darge keen to see Scotland progress under his leadership

Rory Darge is feeling the added responsibility of a captain as Scotland bid to ensure their summer tour is judged a success.

Scotland pulled off victory in New Zealand in the first match of the Pacific adventure when they beat the Maori All Blacks but were on the end of a 29-14 defeat by Fiji last weekend.

They close their summer schedule in Auckland on Friday when they take on Samoa and Darge is determined to ensure those outside the camp see the progress made off the pitch.

The 25-year-old has shared captaincy duties with Finn Russell in the past two Guinness Six Nations tournaments and has relished leading on his own with the fly-half on British and Irish Lions duty.

“It’s something that I feel like I’ve enjoyed more and more, leading the team in some sort of way,” the Glasgow flanker said. “And whatever way it is, I’m obviously happy to do it.

“Being given the honour of captain is something that I’ll never take for granted. I’m just enjoying it, I’m enjoying the challenges of it as well.

“Obviously it was a frustrating performance last weekend and when you’re the captain you maybe feel that more on yourself. It’s something that I think I’m just starting to grow in.

“I suppose that’s what makes last Saturday more frustrating. I don’t think we really gave the tour justice and that’s why this Friday is so important.

“It’s been great from everyone involved. The connections that we’ve had and the quality time we’ve spent together.

“The time difference means that not a lot of people are up at the same time as you from back home. So your companions out here are the only ones you really spend any time with.

“It’s great for us to spend that time together. That’s what made last Saturday more frustrating. But it puts more pressure on us this Friday to give a performance that the tour deserves.”

The manner of Scotland’s defeat in Suva was all the more frustrating after picking up three yellow cards – two of them for Darcy Graham – and conceding 15 penalties.

“Watching it back, a few penalties for different reasons and errors and stuff that’s in our control, that really gave Fiji momentum,” Darge said.

“It was stuff that we could have avoided. So there’s a frustration off the back of that performance, but there’s also an excitement about the challenge we’ve got ahead. We know Samoa are going to be really tough opposition.

“Right at the start of this tour we were talking about how not many of us have played in New Zealand.

“Not many Scottish teams can say they’ve played in New Zealand. Not many teams can say they’ve come and won in New Zealand. I think the team that played against Maori All Blacks, that was a massive win. It’s a massive motivation for us to go and do something similar on Friday.

“And to play at Eden Park will be really special.

“It’s something that you probably don’t fully appreciate – the history and culture of it – until you go to the stadium.

“I’m just talking on experience with other stadiums, playing at Twickenham for the first time or playing at Paris for the first time, when you’re there and you see the historic moments up on the wall. I’ve heard really good things about Eden Park from that point of view.”