Scotland skipper Sione Tuipulotu eager to seize golden opportunity for historic success in South Africa

Scotland captain Sione Tuipulotu has urged his team-mates to seize the moment and claim an historic victory over South Africa this afternoon.

The Scots are in Pretoria to take on the world champions at the iconic Loftus Versfeld in what promises to be a blockbuster clash in the Nations Championship.

Gregor Townsend’s men will be huge underdogs but will be buoyed by the fact they opened their campaign with a dominant win away in Argentina last weekend.

Scotland have not beaten the mighty Springboks since a 21-17 win at Murrayfield back in 2010 — but they have never won away in South Africa.

Indeed, this is their first Test match against the Boks on South African soil in 12 years.

Given how rare the fixture comes along, Tuipulotu believes this could be the last chance for many of the players to claim a seismic win against the best team on the planet.

‘This is why I started playing rugby when I was 12 years old,’ said the Scotland skipper. ‘To be in these types of weeks preparing with this group, with an opportunity to play the world champions in their backyard.

‘This is why I started. Just reflecting this week and how we’ve come on since the pain of Argentina back in the autumn, there’s been so much growth.

‘I won’t get this opportunity again to come up with a team and develop with a team like I am right now.

‘I feel like I’m in a rare space in my career where I’m not going to get this opportunity again to be coached by this coaching staff or play with this group of players.

‘I’m very grateful to be in the space that I am and captaining this side. I just want to take full opportunity.

‘I don’t know when it’s going to come but more and more boys that I’ve played with since I arrived [in Scotland] are finishing up.

‘It just gives you a bit of a reality check that this stuff doesn’t last forever. And I’m just grateful to be in the space and be present with where I am right now.

‘I want to use this opportunity and the work we’ve put in as a team and a coaching staff and go out there this weekend and put on our best performance.’

Tuipulotu was excellent in the victory over Argentina last weekend, scoring one of Scotland’s seven tries.

He is under no illusions about how much they will need to step it up against a South Africa side who also claimed a dominant win over England.

But he feels there is a quiet confidence within the Scotland camp that they are good enough to cause South Africa problems.

‘It’s as tough a challenge as you can get in world rugby right now, for sure one of the biggest of my career,’ he continued.

‘I’ve never played South Africa away from home, although we played them at the World Cup which is a big stage.

‘Playing any Test team in their backyard — especially the back-to-back world champions — is as big as it gets.

‘So, of course the task is big but we also don’t need to make it any bigger than it already is. We don’t need to put anything behind it. It’s a one-off game.

‘We know we’re in this new Nations Championship but it’s not a World Cup or a Six Nations.

‘It’s a new style tournament and we don’t need to put any more pressure on the game than is already there. We just have to go out there and put on our best performance.

‘I would like to think our confidence is a little bit quieter and to keep it in the changing room.

‘Of course there’s no point talking about anything like that before the game as you have to go out there and play the world champions in their backyard. And what will be, will be.

‘Maybe this is just me having gained experience from the last two or three years, but it’s better just to leave it [talking] to Saturday.

‘Of course I’m confident in my group but it would be stupid as a captain to say I’m not confident in my group and we’re going to go out there on Saturday and lose. That would be stupid.

‘So I’m confident in our group but it’s a quiet confidence and we’ll focus on ourselves and the challenge ahead. We’re really excited for it, genuinely.’