Up-and-coming Waratahs centre Mosese Tuipulotu says he will buck the trend of young Australians searching for playing opportunities overseas despite the fact his older brother is carving up for Scotland.
Tuipulotu is a bolter for the Waratahs’ season opener against the Brumbies on February 25, pending the availability of Test centre Izaia Perese, who missed his side’s first two trials with a quadriceps strain.
Mosese Tuipulotu in action for the Waratahs in a trial game against the Brumbies.Credit:Waratahs Media
NSW attach coach Chris Whitaker sung the 21-year-old’s praises after a try-scoring performance against Queensland at the weekend, lauding Tuipulotu’s side step and “exceptional passing game” honed by years playing halfback for his junior club.
“He just needs time in the saddle,” Whitaker said of Tuipulotu’s injury-plagued past two years. “Last year at the end of the Shute Shield he got games back to back. This year in pre-season he hasn’t missed a beat. He just gets better and better.”
It was a rave review that would have most youngsters – and their agents – dreaming of world domination, but Tuipulotu said he had no plans to follow his brother, Sione, offshore to Scotland, where they both qualify with a Scottish maternal grandmother.
“It’s always been a dream of mine to play for the Wallabies and wear the gold jersey,” Tuipulotu said. “Growing up as a youngster, seeing all those great players, even here, with Michael Hooper. That would be a great goal of mine to become a Wallaby.”
Frankston to Glasgow: Former Rebels back Sione Tuipulotu is a midfield weapon for Scotland. Credit:Getty
It was a refreshing take from a young player with a clear pathway to higher honours and bigger dollars, amid weekly reports of promising young Australians moving to Europe or Japan earlier and earlier in their careers. Some, such as giant second rower Emmanuel Meafou, had to leave to get an opportunity, but many others are taking advantage of rich professional competitions in Japan, France and England.
Sione Tuipulotu was a Junior Wallaby in 2015, 2016 and 2017 and feted as the Rebels’ first home-grown professional, but he struggled to nail down a starting spot in Super Rugby behind Billy Meakes, Tom English and Matt To’omua. He moved to Japan’s Top League in 2019 and then took a contract with Glasgow, the Warriors’ interest no doubt piqued by his eligibility.
He thrived at Glasgow as a powerful midfield weapon and was capped for Scotland in November 2021, where he’s remained a fixture of Gregor Townsend’s midfield for the past two years. Ahead of this year’s Six Nations, Tuipulotu told the BBC he took his heritage seriously after being raised in large part by his grandmother, Jacqueline.
“I came here as a foreigner and I am a foreigner,” he said. “I’m from Australia and I don’t expect anybody to think I’m some Braveheart Scottish guy. One thing I say to my grandma is that, when I pull on the Scottish jersey, I feel it, you know? People on the outside looking in go, ‘These guys are foreigners, they don’t take pride in the jersey’, but when I’m representing my grandmother, there is pride in the jersey.”
Mosese Tuipulotu shares his big brother’s pride in the family’s Scottish roots – they are also eligible for Tonga and Italy – but said he drew the line at shouting for Scotland when they played for the Wallabies.
“I’m backing gold,” he said. “That’s my brother and my blood, I’m always going to support him but I’m born in Australia. I’m always going to support Australia.”
Watch all the action from the Six Nations with every match streaming ad-free, live and exclusive on Stan Sport.
