Huw Jones: 'South African life changed me - now I'm ready for All Blacks'

On Thursday morning, World Rugby tweeted a love song to New Zealand, a tribute in words and pictures to mark eight years and 2,922 days as the planet's pre-eminent rugby force.

Atmospheric music, rolling images of greatness and a reminder, just in case we've forgotten, that they've won the World Cup twice in that time. It was a one-minute-and-six-second genuflection at the altar of the All Blacks.

In the social media age, it's probable that the tweet has been spotted by some in the Scotland camp, maybe Huw Jones among them. He said the other day that the thought of facing the black jersey on Saturday at Murrayfield inspires him and that he believes - genuinely believes - that they are beatable.

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You can throw a thousand stats at Jones in an attempt to tell him he's wrong, but his confidence is like an impenetrable shield. In the professional era, Scotland have run into the All Blacks a dozen times, have lost a dozen games and have conceded an average of nearly six tries in each of them.

"They're a great side, but we know we can trouble them if we get it right," says the 23-year-old centre.

New Zealand have racked up a total of 900 points in their 30 previous meetings with Scotland

Since they won their last World Cup in 2015, New Zealand have played 26 Tests and have scored 139 tries - just over five per game. In their eight years as world number one they've scored 3,811 points, an average of 35 points per Test.

So, if trends continue, Scotland may have to score 36 points to win. The number of times Scotland have scored 36 points against the All Blacks in 30 attempts going back to 1905? Zero.

"We know we can score tries against anybody. We just have to make sure everybody produces their very best stuff," is how Jones deals with all this history.

"If you don't think you can win, then you won't. This is pretty much the biggest challenge you can have in international rugby and I'm really looking forward to it. I don't think it will intimidate me. It's more of a big opportunity. What better opportunity is there in rugby?"

A miracle is required on Saturday, but you could forgive Jones for thinking that nothing is impossible given his journey to this point: born in Edinburgh, educated in England, a trip to South Africa that was intended as little more than a holiday but developed into a life as a professional rugby player, and now five tries in his first nine Tests for Scotland.

It's a strike-rate that is All Black in nature. Two tries against the Wallabies, two against England and one last weekend against Samoa. On top of that there was the assist for the match-winning score against Argentina. Jones has been a huge addition to this team since his first start last autumn.

He did five years in South Africa, culminating with two tries for Western Province in the victorious Currie Cup final last month. The 24 hours that followed were played out at breakneck speed. Some partying with his mates, then back to his place in Cape Town to finish his packing, then a dash to the airport to make Gregor Townsend's training camp.

"I'd told only one guy that I was leaving for Scotland the next day," he says. "I didn't want anybody to be distracted leading up to the final. I mentioned it in the dressing room afterwards and they weren't too happy.

"They wanted me to stay and to make some calls to the Scottish Rugby Union to delay it. I said, 'Er, no, that's not a good idea'.

"I was still getting plenty of messages from people in Cape Town saying, 'We must meet for a beer to celebrate' when I was already in Scotland. It was for the best that I didn't stay and celebrate. I'd still be recovering."

South Africa changed Jones. How could it not? He said he went there as a keen player, but there was a reality to rugby life down there that hit him between the eyes.

"I went to South Africa straight out of school, so I was still a boy," he recalls. "Coming back, I'm a different person. Hopefully I'm a better person, but I'm definitely a better player. I've grown up a lot.

"People keep telling me I've still got a bit of a South African accent. I suppose living anywhere for that number of years will have an impact on you. There's definitely a South African influence in me, I think.

"I became harder as a player. You learned a bit about how tough the game can be. Some of the most physical games I played in were the amateur games where guys were just out to hurt you. That's a big learning curve.

Jones' seven-try haul helped Western Province to the Currie Cup title this year

"I see a lot of people saying now that it's a shame that I didn't declare for South Africa, that had I stayed, I could be playing for the Springboks. But I don't feel South African.

"I'm not taking anything away from the guys who go over to countries and qualify, but I knew when I went there that I was always going to come back, whether it was to play rugby or go to university or whatever. South Africa was never a permanent thing for me."

The Currie Cup medal has been placed in his makeshift trophy cabinet in his new place in Glasgow. He'll get around to making his debut for the Warriors soon, but for now it's all about the All Blacks.

As a Stormer in South Africa, he played played two Super Rugby games in New Zealand and lost them both. He has confidence in what Scotland are capable of, but there's no naivety there. He knows what's coming their way if they get it wrong.

Edinburgh-born Jones made his Test debut in Scotland's win over Japan in the summer of 2016

"We need to play our very best game," Jones insists. "That's every one of us. Nobody can be 70%. To beat the number one team in the world everyone, from one to 23, has to be at their absolute best for 80-plus minutes.

"The chances aren't amazing, but they've lost three games in the last year, so it can be done. If we can get them off their game somehow and force some mistakes, we could have a result. That's the challenge - to unsettle them. They're the best and there's a great excitement about playing against them."

Murrayfield - "the best atmosphere of any stadium I've played in" - will be a place of colour and noise on Saturday evening. Black and blue, in every sense.