Scotland Squad Fully Behind Townsend - Tuipulotu

The Scotland squad remains wholly down Gregor Townsend arsenic unit builds connected nan caput coach aft a disappointing Autumn Nations Series, according to skipper Sione Tuipulotu.

After an 85-0 drubbing of nan USA, Scotland were edged retired by New Zealand and denied an historical first triumph complete nan All Blacks, and past collapsed from 21-0 up against Argentina to suffer 33-24.

Before nan last lucifer of nan bid against Tonga astatine Murrayfield connected Sunday, Townsend has batted distant questions connected whether, aft 8 years successful nan job, it is clip for a change.

And Tuipulotu, speaking to nan media connected Saturday, threw his support down nan caput coach.

"I don't deliberation I've ever stood successful beforehand of you guys and not spoken honestly," Tuipulotu said. "When you guys inquire maine questions, I've ever fixed you my honorable answer. My honorable reply is, I'm afloat down my caput coach, and truthful are each nan players.

"I return a batch of accountability for what happened connected nan play [against Argentina]. I'm nan skipper of nan team.

"Gregor is not down location playing rugby. He's put america successful a position to get up 21 points and I return accountability arsenic nan skipper for nan logic that possibly we fto that lead slide.

"We didn't execute against New Zealand. I deliberation it's much of a players point for me, because I'm down connected nan field, I'm retired location being capable to power nan business on pinch each nan different players.

"So I guidelines successful beforehand of you each present and speak honestly that I'm afloat down Gregor. I still judge he's nan man for nan occupation successful what we tin execute starring into nan World Cup."

Tuipulotu made his Scotland debut 4 years agone against Tonga and says playing an guidance that intends truthful overmuch to him – his begetter is Tongan – has helped him refocus and move connected aft nan disappointment of going down to nan Pumas.

"It's a monolithic crippled for me," said nan Glasgow Warriors centre. "It feels for illustration successful 1 crippled I get to correspond who I am.

"I deliberation that's 1 of nan things that person benignant of centred maine this week. I'm not going to dishonesty to you and opportunity that I wasn't hurting a lot. There's nary 1 hurting much than nan playing group.

"But conscionable looking backmost astatine nan past 4 years of my profession has centred maine a small spot and knowing really acold I've come, to beryllium successful beforehand of you guys present arsenic nan captain.

"I deliberation that nan astir important point astir being a skipper is there's going to beryllium really bully times. A twelvemonth agone I sat successful beforehand of you aft we hit Australia.

"You consciousness astonishing astir yourself and you're astir apt nan first 1 to get nan pat connected nan backmost erstwhile you're sitting up present arsenic nan skipper and I don't person immoderate problem being nan first 1 to bull nan blasted either.

"I deliberation that's what nan past week has showed maine is that's what being a leader is. When it doesn't spell correct you're successful nan first statement because yet you tally nan squad retired location and I didn't do a bully capable occupation of that against Argentina. I'm not hiding distant from that astatine all.

"So that thought of playing Tonga again, 4 years aft my debut, is thing that's really brought maine backmost to centre, knowing really acold I've travel and really acold nan team's travel arsenic well."