Scotland: Sione Tuipulotu is red alert against a wounded Wales

Tuipulotu said the returning Blair Kinghorn and Doohan van der Merwe were “ready for war”.

You get the impression that Scotland’s internal messaging was about keeping pace rather than regressing, as they have done in the past, most notably in 2022 when – after beating England – they were unexciting in defeat in Cardiff next time out.

Tuipulotu is on red alert. As it should be. He knows that the hunger they felt last week is not unique to the Scotland team.

“I’ve always felt that Welsh people and Scottish people are quite similar and have the same underdog story,” he said.

“My instructions to the boys are that if you felt like we were desperate last week, they will be on a whole other level of desperate tomorrow.

“And that’s what I expect from them. I expect them to be really excited and want to play in front of their fans. Our preparations have shown that we really respect this team because we know how desperate they are, and we know how well they coach.

“As people, they will step forward for their country. So we are ready.”

Tuipulotu had kind words for Tandy, his former defensive coach with Scotland and the man he says he owes a lot to.

“He was the first coach I had a personal relationship with when I moved away from home [from Australia]He said.

“I know you guys probably don’t believe me, but if I’m around people I don’t know, I’m really shy. I’m not shy now. But when I first came here, I was really shy.”

“He was one of the first coaches to put his arm around me. That had a huge impact on my rugby because I trusted him a lot and I trusted him a lot with things outside of rugby as well. He played a huge role in bringing me out of my shell.”

“He saw the leader in me that I maybe didn’t see at the time. He encouraged that side as well. So I owe him a lot.”

There is a limit to his gratitude, of course. He thinks about Tandy’s world but is also desperate to overcome it.

It would be a seismic shock if Scotland fell in Cardiff, but affected visitors remain vigilant.

A small number of them gathered outside a hostel on St Mary’s Street early on Friday evening. Their mood? “Very, very confident, but at the same time very, very nervous,” said one.

As a study in the psychology of Scottish rugby, it was spot on. As the saying goes, when you know, you know.