Sione Tuipulotu: Scotland not short of Six Nations motivation after autumn hurt

Sione Tuipulotu has urged Scotland to use their autumn anguish as fuel for their upcoming Guinness Six Nations campaign.

The Scots were pilloried in November after squandering a 21-0 lead in a home defeat by Argentina. A week prior to that, they missed a golden chance to beat New Zealand for the first time in their history when seemingly in the ascendancy at 17-17 before going down 25-17.

“We’re not short of motivation, that’s for sure,” said captain Tuipulotu. “And I think it’s important that we carry a little bit of the hurt from the autumn into the Six Nations because it’s important not to just pass it by and act like it didn’t happen.

“It’s important that we show progression in this tournament, not only from the autumn, but from the last Six Nations as well. As captain, it’s my responsibility to lead that, and I’m looking forward to doing that.”

Tuipulotu was one of 19 Glasgow players named in Gregor Townsend’s initial 40-man squad for the championship and he believes the Warriors’ excellent recent form, particularly in the Champions Cup, can give Scotland a boost.

“It is significant, and the combinations and cohesion that we have on the field that we can bring to the Scottish environment is important,” he said of the Glasgow contingent.

“But I think it’s also important how we mesh with the other boys. Test rugby is a lot different to club rugby. It would be stupid for us to think that because Glasgow beat Toulouse, we’re favoured to beat France or anything like that.

“But it does give us confidence and it’s important that boys that have played big roles in those wins that we’ve had between autumn and the Six Nations, they bring that confidence into the Test arena.”

Scotland kick off their campaign away to Italy a week on Saturday. Asked what their target is for the championship, Tuipulotu said: “It would be stupid of me not to say the target is to touch the trophy. That is the target.

“But the message to my group will be not to look anything past Italy. Not look at the table, not look at what it’s going to take for us to be in contention to the last week. Don’t look at anything past Italy.

“It’s important not to look past any game. Yes, the goal is to touch the trophy, but the only way we can touch the trophy is by starting well in Rome.”