Sione Tuipulotu on why the Nations Championship hits different for Scotland

Captain Sione Tuipulotu says there is a collective excitement among Scotland’s players about the inaugural Nations Championship.

The new tournament gets under way on Saturday, with Scotland set to take on Argentina in Cordoba before facing world champions South Africa in Pretoria on July 11.

Gregor Townsend’s side will then return home for their third match, against Fiji at Murrayfield on July 18, before the second round of matches in November.

Tuipulotu said: “I don’t think we’re talking about the tournament as a whole yet, we’ll address that as a group about what’s down the line, because of the size of the challenge in each individual team, especially playing away from home.

“But in terms of the excitement, I can sense the players are really excited about this tournament because frankly, we don’t get the opportunity to come away and play these southern hemisphere teams if it isn’t at a World Cup.

“This is the perfect preparation for us, a year out from the (2027) World Cup, to challenge ourselves against the best in their own backyard.

“We’re excited about it being tier-one opposition away from home, and I hope it’s something the group really relishes, because it’s an amazing new opportunity – just the games on the face of it.”

The top sides from the southern and northern hemispheres will play each other once, with Scotland set to face New Zealand, Australia and Japan at Murrayfield in November.

Results will determine the ranking of each team in their own hemisphere, from one to six, and they will play the side with the corresponding ranking later that month on the final weekend when the three-day play-offs unfold at Twickenham.

The top two ranked nations will play in the final match to decide the inaugural Nations Championship winner.

Australian-born Tuipulotu, poised to win his 39th cap in Cordoba, said Scotland could not have been handed a tougher assignment for their opening two matches.

“To be honest, it just doesn’t get any harder, but that’s why we play rugby,” he added.

“I’d much prefer this style of schedule at the back end of the year, because it gets the juices flowing.

“You know you’re playing the best of the best in their own backyard, and that’s why you play rugby – to test yourself against them.

“For me anyway, I’m not coming away from my family at the back end of a season to waste my time, so we’re over here to try and play our best rugby and hopefully get a few results.”