'My honest answer' - Scotland captain Sione Tuipulotu reveals his view on Gregor Townsend's position

Tuipulotu, the national team’s captain, said the squad needed to take accountability for last week’s collapse against Argentina, a match in which Scotland led 21-0 in the second half but lost 33-24 after conceding five tries in the final 24 minutes.

The result has increased the pressure on Townsend, who signed a contract extension two months ago, but Tuipulotu insisted it was the players’ fault for losing control of the match.

Scotland will complete their autumn campaign against Tonga at Murrayfield on Sunday and Tuipulotu admitted it would be difficult to win back the support of the rugby public, regardless of the result.

“It’s been probably one of the most difficult and confronting weeks I've had in camp as a Scotland player, but I'm sure one that was needed as well,” said Tuipulotu. “There were a lot of honest conversations, individual meetings, team meetings, players meetings and stuff like that for us to talk about why that game went wrong and why it's not good enough. And I thought we did that this week.

Gregor's not down there playing rugby

“It's going to be hard for us to prove to the public in this one game against Tonga where we're at. But for us, it's just about progress now and looking to the Six Nations. It's just about us using that hurt we’re feeling after Argentina and New Zealand to try to progress.”

Townsend has been at the helm for eight years and his latest contract runs until the end of the 2027 Rugby World Cup. Many believe a fresh voice is required to get the best out of what is widely viewed as one of Scotland’s most talented squads but Tuipulotu remains fully behind the coach.

“I don't think I've ever stood in front of you guys and not spoke honestly,” Tuipulotu told the media at Murrayfield on the eve of the Tonga game. “When you guys ask me questions, I've always given you my honest answer. My honest answer is I'm fully behind my head coach. And so are all the players. And I take a lot of accountability for what happened on the weekend.

“I'm the captain of the team and Gregor's not down there playing rugby. He's put us in a position to get up by 21 points. And I take accountability as the captain of the squad for the reason we let that lead slide.

“I'm down on the field, I'm out there being able to influence the situation along with all the other players. So I stand in front of you all here and speak honestly that I'm fully behind Gregor. And I still believe he's the man for the job in what we can achieve leading into the World Cup.”

Tonga is a special fixture for Tuipulotu

Tuipulotu said the aim was now to use the Argentina defeat as fuel going into the 2026 Six Nations which will begin for Scotland with a tricky away fixture against Italy in Rome on February 7 followed by games with England (home), Wales (away), France (home) and Ireland (away).

Scotland’s autumn series has turned into a nightmarish campaign after a bright start. The USA were whipped 85-0 in the opening match and then Scotland fought back from 17-0 down against New Zealand to draw level, only to fall away and lose the game late on 25-17. The manner of the Argentina defeat was the nadir, however, and provoked a hostile reaction at Murrayfield, with supporters leaving early while others booed.

Tuipulotu knows a win over Tonga is unlikely to get the fans back onside.

“In games like this, you’re playing yourself more than the opposition,” said the Glasgow Warriors centre. “Sunday is not a day about proving something: it's us getting back to what we were doing well in that Argentina game to get up 21 points and sticking to that.

“I think that the boys did that really well against USA. We're expecting probably a little bit of a different challenge tomorrow in Tonga who haven't played at all this autumn and are probably all fresh and raring to go.”

The match against Tonga holds particular resonance for Tuipulotu whose father, Fohe, is Tongan. The skipper made his Scotland debut against Tonga four years ago and has grown into one of the national side’s key players and became a British and Irish Lions Test player in the summer.

“It's a massive game for me,” said Tuipulotu who will win his 33rd Scotland cap on Sunday. “It feels like in one game I get to represent who I am. As I said when I debuted against them and played them at the World Cup, it's been a crazy last four years.

“That's one of the things that have kind of centered me this week after such a disappointment. I'm not going to lie to you and say I wasn't hurting a lot, you know. There's no one hurting more than the playing group.

“The last week has shown me what being a leader is. When it doesn’t go right, you’re the first in the line because ultimately you run the team out there. And I didn't do a good enough job of that against Argentina. I'm not hiding away from that at all.”

Tuipulotu’s father will be watching the match back home in Australia but the player’s younger brothers, Mosese and Tavi, are likely to be at Murrayfield. Mosese plays for Edinburgh and Tavi for Glasgow but both are currently out with knee injuries.

“Both of them have the exact same injury but they're both expected back at the back end of December,” said Tuipulotu. “So not long now, and I'm excited for them. Who knows, we may all be on the park for the 1872 Cup games.”

In a parallel universe, Tuipulotu could have been lining up for Tonga on Sunday. The centre was born in Australia and played for the junior Wallabies but Tonga were interested. He ended up choosing Scotland whom he qualifies for through his maternal grandmother from Greenock.

“My dad's really close with the Tongan camp,” said Tuipulotu. “He knows a lot of their coaches. I went to school with a lot of their coaches and it was probably always an option for me. But when it was time to make the decision, I made my decision on Scotland. And I've said it before, it's the best decision that I ever made.

“So yeah, it was an option. I like playing against Tonga as well because I feel like I get the equal chance to represent all my culture, and I'm looking forward to tomorrow.”

Scotland v Tonga teams

Quilter Nations Series, Scottish Gas Murrayfield, Sunday, 1:40pm

Scotland: 15 Tom Jordan; 14 Kyle Rowe, 13 Ollie Smith, 12 Sione Tuipulotu, 11 Duhan van der Merwe; 10 Fergus Burke, 9 Ben White; 1 Rory Sutherland, 2 George Turner, 3 Zander Fagerson, 4 Alex Samuel, 5 Max Williamson, 6 Andy Onyeama-Christie, 7 Jamie Ritchie, 8 Magnus Bradbury. Replacements: 16 Ewan Ashman, 17 Nathan McBeth, 18 Will Hurd, 19 Marshall Sykes, 20 Josh Bayliss, 21 George Horne, 22 Stafford McDowall, 23 Kyle Steyn.

Tonga: 15 William Havili; 14 Taniela Filimone, 13 Fine Inisi, 12 Solomone Kata, 11 John Tapueluelu; 10 Patrick Pellegrini, 9 Sonatane Takulua; 1 Siegfried Fisi’ihoi, 2 Siua Maile, 3 Ben Tameifuna (capt), 4 Harison Mataele, 5 Veikoso Poloniati, 6 Semisi Paea, 7 Siosiua Moala, 8 Lotu Inisi. Replacements: 16. Samiuela Moli, 17. Fatongia Paea, 18. Phil Kite, 19. Sitaleki Timani, 20. Fotu Lokotui, 21. Aisea Halo, 22. Tima Fainga’anuku, 23. Anzelo Tuitavuki.

Referee: Luc Ramos (FFR).