FOR a first season in this country, things could hardly have gone better for Sione Tuipulotu.
He has established himself as a regular in the Glasgow side, enhanced his reputation as a hard-running ball-carrier, and won his first few Scotland caps too.
The weather could be better, of course, but at this time of year even that does not matter too much to the Australian-born centre. What does matter is tomorrow’s match against Edinburgh, and the chance that the Warriors have to claim a place in next season’s Champions Cup, in the process retaining the 1872 Cup and maybe just earning a slightly less arduous URC quarter-final.
As they hold a 13-point lead from the first leg at Scotstoun, Glasgow could afford a narrow defeat at BT Murrayfield yet still hold on to the 1872 trophy. But needless to say, they have no intention of doing anything other than playing for the win, which would mean they finish seventh in the league and avoid a trip to champions Leinster in the first round of the play-offs.
“It’s come down to a lot of things that are up for grabs,” Tuipulotu says. “I know all the boys are really motivated to win this weekend, especially away from home as well.
“How do we win? We’ve got to put an 80-minute performance together for the first time in a couple of weeks, and I think that will get us over the line. We’ve been starting really well, getting points on the board, and I think if we can do that for 80 we’ll come away with the victory.”
The Warriors have had problems this season when it comes to delivering those 80-minute performances, but they lasted well in the first leg of the derby to claim a 30-17 victory. So what made the difference then?
“I think physicality,” Tuipulotu continues. “I actually came off the bench in that game, and I remember watching from the stands - in the first 40 the boys really laid a platform in terms of physicality. I think if we can do that again we give ourselves a good chance of trying to nullify some of the threats which they’ve shown over the last couple of weeks. It all starts and finishes with physicality.”
The same could be said of the season itself. Every team may be fresh and fit at the beginning of a campaign, but when it comes time for the prizes to be handed out there are more than a few who are found wanting. Tuipolutu has certainly found European rugby demanding, but he is confident that he and his team-mates still have the energy and desire needed to rise to the occasion of the forthcoming big games.
“It’s long,” he says of the northern-hemisphere season. “I knew it was long before I came here, obviously, but you never really know how it is on your body until you’re in it.
“The last couple of months have been tough for everyone, specially post-Six Nations. But it’s a long season to go into and not give it your all at the end. We’re all super-motivated and we’re all in a good condition to try and end the season well.”
Even if Glasgow lose the derby and go on to be defeated in the last eight too, Tuipulotu will still be able to take a certain satisfaction from his first season here, above all because his decision to move was vindicated when he made his Scotland debut against Tonga.
“I’m super happy about that. One of the reasons I wanted to come over here was to try and play some Test rugby. To have done it in my first season and to enjoy some of the moments with the boys here is massive for me.
“I wouldn’t say I was confident [of being capped in year one]. I was just motivated to do it. I came over here with an idea that if I was going to move halfway across the world away from my family, that I would try my best to achieve that. There’s no point in me coming all the way over here and I suppose not going for it - or at least that’s the way I thought about it.”
