Sione Tuipulotu calls on Scotland to treat France showdown as 'Grand Final'
Sione Tuipulotu has called on buoyant Scotland to treat this weekend’s showdown with France like a cup final as he prepares for one of the biggest games of his career.
The Scots head to Paris top of the Guinness Six Nations table after starting with bonus-point wins away to England and at home to Wales.
Victory at Stade de France on Sunday would leave them in prime position to go for a first Grand Slam since the 1990 Five Nations, with back-to-back home games against Ireland and Italy to come in March.
Tuipulotu explained that there is a blend of optimism and steely focus as Gregor Townsend’s side gear up for their high-stakes trip to the French capital.
“We haven’t started like this before so there is an extra buzz around that and everyone’s a little happier around camp,” said the Glasgow centre. “But there’s also an intensity about the group now because we know what an opportunity we have.
“We take it game by game but if we go to Paris and win we set ourselves up for another big week. Right now, this is our Grand Final and that’s what we’ve got to treat it like. If we win this game we put ourselves in a good position.”
Australia-born Tuipulotu, who has a Scottish grandmother, only made his international debut 16 months ago and the 26-year-old is humbled by the magnitude of matches he has been involved in during that time. This Sunday’s is arguably the biggest yet.
“I feel like for the last year I’ve been in this thing where every couple of months it’s the biggest game of my career,” he said. “We had the All Blacks come to Murrayfield (in November) and for me growing up in Australia and with the All Blacks having that aura about them, I suppose that was the biggest game of my career at that point.
“Then you go into the first game of the Six Nations and you play England at Twickenham and you ask yourself ‘is that the biggest game of my career?’
“I’d never played at Twickenham before this tournament and now I’m going to Paris and I’ve never played there either. It’s going to be a crazy experience for me.
“From where I was three years ago to where I am now, getting the opportunity to play in these big games, I am truly grateful. It’s a massive opportunity and I want to take it with both hands and represent the country well.”
Despite their strong start in the tournament and the fact they won in Paris behind closed doors on their last visit in 2021, Tuipulotu admits Scotland are still the underdogs.
“There is a belief in the team that we can go and do that again,” he said, referring to the win two years ago. “I wasn’t involved in that game but we address this as a new challenge because that was played behind closed doors and there’s going to be a packed house of passionate French supporters.
“They’ll have changes to their team, we’ll have changes to our team compared to that game so it’s a new challenge. It’s not going to be the same game as last time.
“France are the Grand Slam reigning champions so we know we’re not going there as favourites but that’s part of the beauty of it because Scotland are pretty comfortable going places as underdogs. That’s been a part of our identity. We knocked off England at Twickenham and this is another challenge we’ve got to throw our best punches at.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Bar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
35 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
35 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
35 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
35 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
35 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
35 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
35 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
18 Go to comments