Sione Tuipulotu opens up on Scotland ambitions and lifts lid on club future

Sione Tuipulotu, the new captain of Scotland, says that clinching the United Rugby Championship with Glasgow Warriors has made him determined to win something with the national side.

The inside centre, who will lead the team solo for the first time on Saturday in the opening match of the Autumn Nations Series against Fiji at Murrayfield, senses there is an “urgency” within the squad to taste success.

Scotland have not won an international honour since the final Five Nations Championship in 1999 and have never finished in the top two of the Six Nations. They have also failed to progress beyond the pool stage of the last two Rugby World Cups.

Scotland's new captain Sione Tuipulotu at Scottish Gas Murrayfield ahead of the Autumn Nations Series match against Fiji. | SNS Group / SRU

“I’m desperate to win,” said Tuipulotu. “Genuinely, I think I’d never won anything before last year in the URC. And I think after winning that, one thing became evident to me is that I’m so desperate to win now.

“I got a taste for it, winning with Glasgow. And I feel the urgency in the room with Scotland now and the way we train and the way we prepare and the men that are in the group. I feel like there’s an urgency to win and win now.

“I would like not to do too much talking about it just because I think it’s time for us to yeah, like I said, win. And I just think that’s where my mindset is now is that I’m desperate to win.”

Tuipulotu, 27, played a key role in Glasgow’s URC success last season as the Warriors defeated the Bulls in the final at the latter’s home ground at Loftus Versfeld. He has carried his outstanding form into the new season and has been linked with a move to clubs in France and England when his contract expires at the end of the season.

The player said he would be keen to hear what potential suitors have to offer but also stressed that he was happy at Glasgow under head coach Franco Smith who has spoken of his desire to hang on to the centre.

Winning the United Rugby Championship with Glasgow Warriors has given Sione Tuipulotu a taste for success. | SNS Group

“I’m definitely looking to stay to the end of my contract,” Tuipulotu said. “I’ve got six months left at Glasgow and like I said, I’m desperate to win and I really feel like Glasgow at the moment is a winning team and it’s fun to play rugby for Glasgow under Franco. I’m happy where I am. In terms of the future after that, there’s not much I can say about it but all I can say is that I’m happy in Scotland, I’m happy in Glasgow.”

Stade Francais, Bath and Harlequins have all been credited with an interest in Tuipulotu and the player admitted that a move to France or England would be something he would consider.

“Yeah, of course as a rugby player you have to look at your future,” he said. “It’s a short career and everything like that but I believe that my happiness outside of rugby has a heavy influence on how I play on the field and I know my family’s happy at the moment in Glasgow at least for the next six months and I’m happy there as well so yeah, I’m happy to be at Glasgow for now.”