Scotland captain Sione Tuipulotu has declared that the team's emphatic Calcutta Cup triumph over England could serve as a pivotal turning point in the fortunes of the national side. However, the skipper emphasised that Scotland must back up this performance with a victory against Wales in Cardiff next weekend if they are to finally shed their reputation for inconsistency.
A Stunning Triumph at Murrayfield
Tuipulotu led Scotland to a stunning 31-20 victory at Murrayfield, lifting the Calcutta Cup for the first time as captain following a dominant display. The win provided a powerful response to the criticism that followed Scotland's dismal opening weekend defeat to Italy in Rome.
Pride and Belief After Adversity
'I'm really proud of the group,' said Tuipulotu. 'I feared what the Italy game last week would do to us as a group a little bit directly after it. I can't remember hurting like that after a game. The way we picked ourselves up after that game last week, we should take a huge amount of belief from that.'
He added: 'I feel like a lot of our success in this fixture has come because we take it really seriously, what it means to our supporters and the country. We took a lot of criticism after last week, but that’s just noise. That's what I love about rugby - that we have to rise to the occasion. We didn't have a choice.'
From Lows to Highs
Reflecting on the emotional rollercoaster, Tuipulotu stated: 'We've been near the lowest of lows. And I take the last week as a low moment for myself. But I've also had some massive highs — and this is one of them. I did really feel desperate this week and I'm just happy and proud that the boys followed this week and delivered that type of performance.'
The Cardiff Challenge Ahead
All attention now turns to the crucial match against Wales in Cardiff, where a victory would keep Scotland in contention for the Six Nations championship heading into the final two rounds. Tuipulotu stressed the importance of backing up the England win.
'I really want this to be the growth now,' he said. 'The way for us to show our growth next week is to back up this performance, in a stadium [in Cardiff] that's not been without troubles for us over the last 20 years.'
Sensing a Moment of Change
The captain spoke of a palpable shift within the squad: 'You can sense it when a moment changes, a feeling inside a change room. And I can't tell you how happy I am for the group to feel the feeling that I'm feeling now because I really do feel that that is a performance that can change a lot.'
He outlined the path forward: 'What we have to do is back-up this performance by keeping doing the things that we're doing, the things that we've been speaking about inside the change room. We need to make sure that what's happening outside the changing room [media scrutiny], it continues to have no effects on what's happening inside.'
Support for Under-Pressure Coach
The victory also provided much-needed relief for head coach Gregor Townsend, who had been under immense pressure following the opening weekend defeat in Rome. Townsend spoke about how such wins reminded him of why he took the job.
Tuipulotu dedicated the win to the fans and the embattled coach, saying: 'I felt guilty [after the defeat to Italy]. 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. I am proud of the boys for getting behind our coach and delivering a performance.'
The Scotland captain's message is clear: the Calcutta Cup victory must not be a standalone highlight, but rather the foundation for sustained success, beginning with the formidable challenge awaiting in Cardiff.
