Wales v Scotland: Centre Nick Tompkins says Six Nations final game 'is everything'
- Published
Centre Nick Tompkins won his fifth Wales cap against France
Wales centre Nick Tompkins insists the Scotland game 'is everything' despite the Six Nations match being a dead rubber.
Wales and Scotland are battling it out for fourth place on the tournament's finale day with France, Ireland and England battling it out.
Wayne Pivac's side are aiming to avoid a fifth straight loss.
"We need to prove to everyone out there and ourselves how good we can be, it is everything," said Tompkins.
"It is not about looking to the future or any more games. This is the next game and the most important one and we need to be better which we will be.
"We will manage the game better because we need to improve."
Wales warmed up for the match at Parc y Scarlets against Scotland with a 38-21 loss against Francis in Paris with previous Six Nations defeats to England, Ireland and France in February and March.
"We knew this was going to be one of those games where it might not click straightaway," Tompkins told S4C's Clwb Rygbi.
"That's a great lesson for us. It showed with France doing what they did that territory is key and technically they did not have to play as much and that's a good learning point for us.
"What we can take from that is we can be better at managing the territory and our defence needs to be better.
Ireland can secure the title with a bonus-point win in Paris next weekend
"This is why we have this kind of warm-up game so we don't have the same mistakes. We have to learn very quickly and implement in the game coming up against Scotland.
"I can't lie and say I did not enjoy it though, that's the first international for about seven months and I am unbelievably privileged to get to do what we do.
"It's great to be finally able to get out there albeit in front of a silent crowd. This is Test match rugby and we are not happy with the result."
Tompkins finished the game with a dead leg and hopes it will not rule him out of next weekend.
The 25-year-old played alongside centre Jonathan Davies for the first time at the Stade de France and hopes to have another chance on Saturday.
"He is a hell of a player," said Tompkins.
"Just little things like set-piece defence with how much he talks and brings to the line. It's a big comfort, he gets you ready for things and his resume speaks for itself.
"It's a privilege to be able to play with people like him and Alun Wyn Jones."