'I thought I was in trouble but was named captain instead'

Sione Tuipulotu will skipper Scotland during the Autumn internationals

Autumn Nations Series: Scotland v Fiji

Date: Saturday, 2 November Venue: Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh Kick-off: 17:40 GMT

Coverage: Live on BBC Radio Scotland, Radio Five Live Sports Extra, BBC Sounds and BBC Sport website & app

In the space of three years, Sione Tuipulotu has gone from relative unknown to become a Test player, URC title-winner, a Lion-in-waiting and now the Scotland captain.

It’s tempting to look at the centre’s progress and think it has been a smooth upward trajectory, but as he sat down for his first media conference since being named skipper for Scotland’s Autumn Nations Series campaign, Tuipulotu, 27, reminded us he has travelled a long and bumpy road to reach this point.

Once it became clear he would not get his big break as a young player with the Melbourne Rebels, Tuipulotu took himself off to Japan to rediscover a love of rugby that had wilted during that unfulfilling period.

His spell at Shizuoka reignited that fire and prepared him for the challenge of moving across the world to Scotland in 2021 - but even then, he did not exactly hit the ground running.

"I look back at when I first came over and I actually did two weeks quarantine because it was in Covid times," he said.

"Then when I popped out, one of the boys got Covid, so I ended up doing four weeks in a hotel before I did any training."

'There were dark days - it was getting a bit tough'

"I remember there were some pretty dark days. I was thinking about going home, to be honest, because it was getting a bit tough.

"But I'm so glad that I made the move to come over. And in terms of the progress, that's probably the part that doesn't surprise me. I put my heart and soul into my journey here, and I've worked really hard to get to this point.

"I don't want to come across like I had it all figured out, because for a long couple of years, I didn't. I remember being in Melbourne, not getting an opportunity there and being really frustrated.

"And then going to Japan, maybe finding my love for the game a little bit more. And then coming over here, it's never that I've had it all worked out, more that always in the back of my mind I had a vision for myself.

"I believed in my talent. In professional sport, you get lucky sometimes and you land in the lap of coaches that have that same vision that you do for yourself.

"I put it down to those two things - it's a vision for myself and coaches believe in me."

Those who have been watching Tuipulotu’s barnstorming performances for club and country these past few years, and listened to his passionate, engaging and insightful interviews off the pitch, view his appointment as Scotland captain for the matches against Fiji, South Africa, Portugal and Australia as the most natural step in the world.

Yet the man himself was taken aback when Gregor Townsend pulled him to one side after a Glasgow training session to offer him the role - "I thought I was in trouble" - and share another bit of news, that his brother Mosese was receiving his first Scotland call-up.

In an effort to avoid tempting the fate of injury while playing on Warriors' recent double-header in South Africa, he kept the news close to his chest.

"When I found out, I only told my dad just because I could have got injured over in South Africa," Tuipulotu said.

"My dad's a man of few words and he just said it comes with great responsibility, captaining a country, but I would fit the job.

"Then when I found out the news about Mosese, it was probably just up there with finding out that I'm going to be captain because like myself, I know my own journey, but I know my brother's journey as well, not just in rugby, but in life.

"I'm so proud of him that he's come over here and he really enjoys himself at Edinburgh and I know he's enjoyed his first week at camp. So it's been massive for my family to see me and him back together."

Tuipulotu kept news of his captaincy quiet for fear of jinxing it

'There's an urgency to win'

Seven years into Townsend's reign as head coach, we still await a meaningful shot at silverware from a group of players as talented as any in Scotland's history.

Glasgow Warriors' epic URC title win has offered a glimpse of what might be possible, and Tuipulotu says that success has lit a fuse amongst the national squad.

"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," he said.

"I got a taste of 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 win. And I just think that's where my mindset is now, that I'm desperate to win."