Scotland 24-33 Argentina: The “weak” hosts “fell asleep at the wheel”

Scotland have won just four of their 10 Test matches this year and were left with an all-too-familiar feeling at full-time.

Tuipulotu was asked if the criticism from the stands was justified after another defeat and he said: “I think so, yes.

“Gregor talked in the dressing room about back-to-back ticket sales, and not all stadiums do that.

“We watched some rugby yesterday and there were some empty seats in the stadium, but not in our stadium, and there is a bit of guilt there because people are paying good money to come and watch us.”

It was the nature of Scotland’s collapse that was so worrying.

From a position of dominance to being carved almost openly at will, with no way to stem the tide.

Scotland executed one penalty kick after another during the Argentine attack as the players tired, and Santiago Carreras controlled the match by the neck.

Substitutes Tom Jordan and George Horne were left on Scotland’s bench as they were overwhelmed by wave after wave of the Blue and White attack.

“Decisions and discipline will be the areas we look at closely,” Townsend said.

“We have to be better in our discipline. If you give a team momentum from penalty after penalty, it makes it easier for them.

“We obviously didn’t handle that change in momentum when we were up 21-0 and had a chance to go up 28-0. It just flipped around in that moment.

“Thanks to Argentina, they put us under pressure and deserved to win in the last quarter.”

Scotland came close to facing New Zealand last weekend, going from 17-0 down to level before conceding at the death, but captain and coach agreed that result was the biggest disappointment.

“I don’t think I could ever be as disappointed as I was last week, but I think this is even more disappointing,” Tuipulotu said.

“I told the boys: ‘We have to take a good look at ourselves.’”

He added: “The next two days will be painful, and it starts with me. I am the team leader and I bear responsibility as well.”