Scotland captain Sione Tuipulotu has called on his players to step onto the pitch at Murrayfield on Saturday fully believing they will deliver the nation’s first ever victory over New Zealand.
The Scots have not beaten the All Blacks in 120 years of trying, losing 30 and drawing two of the 32 meetings between the sides.
Saturday’s fixture also marks 100 years of Murrayfield Stadium, and Tuipulotu wants his team to harness the emotion of the occasion to deliver a famous win.
“I spoke to the boys about it before, that 60,000 people are coming to the stadium to watch us on Saturday and it would be a damn shame if we don’t believe,” said the British and Irish Lions centre.
“I think that’s the most important thing, that when we do run out of the tunnel, I look around and I see 22 other guys that believe that we can win this fixture.
“It’s also 100 years of Murrayfield, we’re wearing this jersey to commemorate all the people that have played before us in this jersey as well.
“So it’s bigger than the record against New Zealand, it’s also the history of Murrayfield that we’re thinking about as well so we understand all the things that come with it.”
Last week saw 13 stalwarts of the Scottish game, including former Scotland and Lions international Scott Hastings, inducted into the Scottish Rugby hall of fame.
Tuipulotu says hearing about the glories of Scottish teams past whetted his appetite to taste his own success in a Scotland jersey.
“I was actually at the Scottish hall of fame event, there were a few people that were getting inducted and just to hear the guys that have worn the jersey before, Scott Hastings got up there and talked and I remember it was pretty touching,” he said.
“That’s what we’re striving towards so we understand everything that comes with celebrating the history of our jersey and we’re ready to put out a performance that we think shows how much we care.”
