Awkward Royal Moment: Princess Anne Rejects Hug from Scotland Rugby Captain
An uncomfortable exchange between Princess Anne and Scotland captain Sione Tuipulotu was broadcast live on ITV cameras following the Calcutta Cup presentation. The incident occurred after Scotland's thrilling 31-20 victory over England in the Six Nations championship at Murrayfield on Saturday.
Calcutta Cup Triumph and Royal Presentation
The win propelled Scotland to the top of the Six Nations table, at least temporarily, before France's commanding victory over Wales on Sunday. This triumph provided much-needed relief for under-pressure head coach Gregor Townsend, following Scotland's disappointing 18-15 defeat to Italy in their tournament opener the previous weekend.
The victory marked Scotland's seventh Calcutta Cup win in nine encounters, reclaiming the trophy after narrowly losing to England the previous year. Princess Anne, who had recently returned from attending the Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, was on hand to present the prestigious silverware.
The Awkward Camera-Captured Moment
Live footage showed Tuipulotu acknowledging those in the royal box as he approached the trophy, which Princess Anne was holding. As the Scotland captain reached the Royal, he moved to embrace her in what appeared to be a celebratory hug.
However, Princess Anne took a step back, placed her hand on his shoulder, and had a brief word with him before handing over the cup. The entire exchange was captured clearly by broadcast cameras and quickly circulated across social media platforms by observant fans.
Captain's Perspective Despite Awkwardness
Despite the awkward moment, it's unlikely the incident dampened Tuipulotu's delight following such a significant victory in front of a passionate home crowd. Speaking to BBC Sport afterwards, the Scotland captain expressed his pride in the team's performance.
"I'm extremely proud," Tuipulotu said. "To go through what we went through last week really hurt and we understood because we deserved it. Ultimately Italy were better than us. We really felt like our backs were against the wall and we showed up today."
The captain also addressed the pressure on head coach Gregor Townsend: "I felt guilty. Head coaching is a hard job because when it is going well you get all the positives but when it is not going well you get all of the criticism. We got behind our coach this week. I'm proud of the boys for getting behind our coach and delivering a performance."
Looking Ahead to Next Challenge
Scotland will return to the field next Saturday, facing Wales at the Millennium Stadium with a 4.40pm kickoff. Following their Calcutta Cup triumph, Scotland enter the match as heavy favourites against a Welsh side looking to recover from two substantial defeats.
Wales suffered a 48-7 loss to England in their opening Six Nations match last week, followed by a 54-12 defeat to France at the Principality Stadium on Sunday. The Welsh team will be aiming to bounce back from these hammerings when they host the confident Scottish side.
The awkward royal moment, while capturing attention on social media, ultimately served as a minor footnote in what was a significant sporting achievement for Scottish rugby. The team's focus now shifts to maintaining their momentum in the championship against Wales next weekend.
