The stage has been set for a feisty re-match between Sione Tuipulotu and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii in July after the Melbourne-raised Scotland captain was named in the British and Irish Lions squad.
Tuipulotu and former Brumby-turned-Ireland winger Mack Hansen became the seventh and eighth Australian-raised players to be selected as Lions on Thursday night at a grandiose team naming event in London.
Maro Itoje, Captain of British & Irish Lions, Andy Farrell, Head Coach of British & Irish Lions and Ieuan Evans, Chair and Tour Manager of British & Irish Lions, in front of a screen with the 37-man squad.Credit: Getty Images
With coach Andy Farrell watching on at the 02 Arena, his 37-man squad was read out by Wales legend and Lions chairman Iuean Evans. The squad – which will be captained by England lock Maro Itoje – will next month embark on a nine-game tour of Australia, which is preceded by a clash with Argentina in Dublin.
Players discovered the news of their Lions selections as they gathered at the clubs, with tradition dictating they don’t get a phone call with the news beforehand.
Ireland had the most players selected with 15, followed by England (13), Scotland (8) and Wales, who paid a price for their recent slump with just two players. That equalled the smallest ever representation, after Ireland in 1993 and Scotland in 2009 and 2017.
The squad contained plenty of surprises, after months of speculation. There was no Owen Farrell and Ireland captain Caelen Doris was also left out after picking up a shoulder injury. Twenty-year-old Henry Pollock, who only has one Test cap for England, was the bolter of the squad after turning in storming for Northhampton.
Marcus Smith and Elliot Daly also made the cut, but there were no spots for contenders Jamie George, Sam Prendergast, Dewi Lake, Jack Willis and George Ford.
Aussie Lions
Tuipulotu and Hansen joined a small group of Australian-raised players to have been selected for the Lions since 1888: Alec Timms (1889), Tom Richards (1910), Ian Smith (1924), Brent Cockbain (2005), Nathan Hines (2009) and Tom Court (2013).
Jack Dempsey and Finlay Bealham both missed out.
Mack Hansen of Ireland is put under pressure by Leicester Fainga’anuku of New Zealand.Credit: Getty
While Tuipulotu was considered a certain pick, Hansen’s selection was up in the air after a year disrupted by injury and suspension. The Canberra-raised wing, who played four seasons with the Brumbies, moved to Ireland in 2021 and swiftly became a star on the wing for a dominant Ireland team.
Hansen was interviewed during the event and the outspoken Aussie said he was uncharacteristically unable to find any words in response.
“I was just heading for swim,” Hansen said.
“I am lost for words for the first time in my life, which is good for ‘Faz’ (Farrell) to hear. Bundee [Aki] was supposed to do it, but he’s minding the kids.”
Tuipulotu grew up in Frankston in Melbourne and played for the Junior Wallabies (under 20s), and in 2016 also became the first Melbourne player to play for the Rebels in Super Rugby. But he moved to Scotland to play for Glasgow in 2021 via the heritage of his grandmother, and he was later selected to play for the Scotland national side.
He became captain last year and led the Scots to victory over the Wallabies in November.
The match saw a memorable skirmish between Tuipulotu and Suaalii, that sparked a rivalry between the pair that is still smouldering.
Simmering Suaalii feud
It began with Suaalii thumping Tuipulotu in a massive tackle in the first half at Murrayfield, and the Wallabies centre stayed down with an injured right arm. Not realising he was seriously injured and would need to go off, Tuipulotu then sledged Suaalii and the Australian code-hopper got back to his feet and fired back at the Scot.
The pair had to be separated before Suaalii left the field with a suspected broken wrist, that was later determined to be a bad stinger.
Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii and Sione Tuipulotu trade words at Murrayfield.Credit: Getty Images
“I didn’t really know it was him that hit me. I don’t know how it looks on camera, but it felt humongous,” Tuipulotu said after the game. “And when I popped up, I was just kind of looking around at who it was and then I saw that he was on the ground, so I said something to him. And then he went off the pitch. That’s all I can really say about it.”
Neither player has revealed what was exchanged between them. Before he left the field, via the ref mic, Suaalii was heard to say: “I will see you next time.
Tuipulotu has since been asked about the moment on a few podcasts, but when asked about it again on the Kick Ons and Kick Offs podcast this week, he indicated Suaalii has been paying close attention and taking notes, and is itching for round two.
“I don’t want to put any targets on my back,” Tuipulotu said on the podcast.
“I know Eoin Toolan, who is the analyst at the Wallabies, and he used to be our analyst at Melbourne. He’s told me to stop talking on these podcasts about Joey, ’cos he says he’s raring to go. I don’t want to put any targets on my back from big Joey.
“He’s done so well since he joined union. And my brother (Ottavio) is also at the Tahs with him and he says he’s a good bloke off the field. I am looking forward to going up against him again, hopefully.”
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