Gregor's not down there.. it's on me for letting a lead slide

Skipper Sione Tuipulotu insisted Scotland's under- fire boss has his players’ backing as he declared: “Gregor's not down there playing rugby.”

- STUART BATHGATE

The national team are on a hiding to nothing when Tonga turn up at Murrayfield for the last Autumn Nations Series showdown today.

Gregor Townsend's side are expected to win easily against an outfit well below them in the world rankings, just as they did at the start of this series when trouncing the USA 85-0.

But it is the head coach's failure to steer the team to results over the bigger boys that has turned up the heat.

A winless streak against New Zealand stretched to 33 meetings after Scotland came from 17-0 down at the interval to level.