Tuipulotus grandmother his biggest fan after picking Scotland over Australia
If Sione Tuipulotu runs out against the Wallabies at Murrayfield on the weekend, thereâll be a proud grandmother in Melbourne with a thick Scottish accent cheering him on in the middle of the night.
Tuipulotu is the former Junior Wallaby and Melbourne Rebels representative who has now pledged his allegiance to Scotland, having made his Test debut on the weekend against Tonga, the country of his fatherâs birth.
The 24-year-old grew up in Victoria and dreamed of playing for the Wallabies but could have qualified for another three countries. Tuipulotuâs father, Fohe, is Tongan, while his mother, Angelina, was born to Scottish and Italian parents who built a new life in Frankston, in Melbourneâs south-east.
Tuipulotuâs maternal grandmother, Jaqueline âAnneâ Thomson, hasnât been an avid rugby fan in years gone by but ever since her son took up a professional contact in Glasgow â" a 40-minute drive from Greenock where she was born â" the outspoken 75-year-old is now infatuated with the game they play in heaven.
Thomson was particularly chuffed that commentators had given her a mention during the weekendâs Test coverage as her grandson took the field at outside-centre on debut in Scotlandâs 60-14 win.
âShe got up and watched it,â Fohe Tuipulotu told the Herald. âShe was probably the proudest person, more than us. She knows Sione is representing her. All the people there were talking about her constantly during the game. She liked hearing that. Sheâs becoming quite the rugby fan at the moment.
Former Melbourne Rebels player Sione Tuipulotu with his Scottish grandmother Jaqueline âAnneâ Thomson.
âSheâs still got a very thick Scottish accent. Sheâs a proud grandmother and since Sione has gone to Scotland she is trying to watch every game. She is always ringing us to find out everything about the games.
âIt was a very special day. We knew he qualified for them but it was never in our mind and probably even his [to play for Scotland]. He grew up here and played junior rugby here and did well in the Australian pathways. Weâre proud of his journey.â
In an interview with RugbyPass earlier this year, Tuipulotu opened up on his Scottish grandmotherâs influence.
âEveryone thinks we got the worst hidings from our Tongan side, but it was actually from our grandma,â Tuipulotu told RugbyPass. âWhen sheâs angry, sheâs angry. Sheâs got a bit of a reputation at family gatherings. She has still got her full accent and stands out in our family as a bit of a cult figure.â
Sione Tuipulotu celebrates a try in Scotlandâs victory over Tonga last weekend.Credit:Getty
Fohe Tuipulotu never missed his sonâs matches, driving âmiles and miles in my red carâ to rugby fields across Victoria.
He worked two jobs â" unloading containers in a warehouse, as well as setting up a security company where he worked the door at nightclubs â" in a bid to give his son the best chance of a professional career.
âI made a decision that I was going to find a way that I could still earn a living but give an opportunity with my time to be free whenever he travels with rugby,â Tuipulotu snr said. âMy whole goal was to support him to get him to his dream. I think he knew what he wanted to do from 12 years of age. He did say at the time he wanted to play for Australia.â
Tuipulotu was the Rebelsâ first locally bred player to graduate to Super Rugby, having played three years of Australian U20s. He faced Scotland in a match in 2016.
Sione Tuipulotu with his father Fohe and mother Angelina.
After 11 appearances for the Rebels from 2016 to 2019, Tuipulotu left for a stint in Japan before the Scottish Rugby Union asked if heâd be interested to pledge his allegiance.
âHeâs a quality guy and player,â said Rebels chief executive Baden Stephenson. âHe was someone who had great ability and potential. He had a couple of injuries and he was sitting behind [Reece] Hodge, Billy Meakes and Tom English. There was no doubt he was going to have a long professional career.
âAt the end of 2019 the bright lights of Japan came calling. He left on good terms. Everyone in the community and club was really proud of him and itâs great to see him earn international representation.â
Tuipulotu is no guarantee to play against the Wallabies this Sunday (Monday AEDT) but his father knows how big a deal it would be for him to earn another Test cap.
âIt will be massive for him to play against Australia,â Tuipulotu snr said. âHeâs saying heâd love to play against Australia in that game. Itâs going to be a tough call for the coaches. If he ends up playing it will be massive for him and us.â
Wallabies name replacements for McMahon and KereviDuncan Paâaiaia and Colby Faingaâa have been added to Australiaâs squad for the Scotland Test.
The Wallabies were forced to bring in replacements after Quade Cooper, Samu Kerevi and Sean McMahon all pulled out of the European tour to return to their Japanese franchises.
Noah Lolesio has since arrived in the UK from Canberra after initially being overlooked for the squad, while France-based Wallabies veteran Kurtley Beale was called up to the squad.
The Wallabies announced on Tuesday evening that Paiaâaua (Toulon) and Faingaâa (Lyon) had been called in as extra cover. Both are yet to make their Test debuts.
Fellow France-based players Will Skelton, Rory Arnold and Tolu Latu have all linked up with the Wallabies following their club commitments.
Australia play Scotland, England and Wales on their end-of-year tour.
Former Brumbies back picked up by IrelandMeanwhile, an 11th-hour call from Rugby Australia wasnât enough to dissuade former Brumbies winger Mack Hansen from accepting a call-up by Ireland.
Hansen, 23, was called into the Ireland training set-up by coach Andy Farrell on Monday after impressing national selectors since joining Andy Friendâs Connacht earlier this year. The Canberra utility has scored four tries in just five games for the Irish province.
Hansen qualified for Ireland through his Cork-born mother Diana and joined Ireland this week to train ahead of their Test against Japan, where he will provide back-three cover.
Hansen played 14 Super games for the Brumbies since debuting in 2019 and was never seen as close to a call-up for the Wallabies, where Dave Rennie has already lined up a long queue of wingers in Marika Koroibete, Andrew Kellaway, Filipo Daugunu, Suliasi Vunivalu and Brumbies teammates Tom Wright and Andy Muirhead.
Sources with knowledge of the situation said RA head of rugby Scott Johnson had spoken to Hansen recently when it emerged he was being looked at as a potential Ireland player.
But Hansen ultimately elected to accept the invitation to train with the Irish squad, and while he wonât be officially captured until he wins a Test cap, the Canberran appears to be happy to commit his future to green over gold.
Hansen emerged as a player of potential with the Australian under 20s in 2018, and through the NRC with Canberra Vikings, Hansen made his Super Rugby debut in 2019.
Speaking earlier in the year, Hansen said he was open to playing for Ireland.
âIf I can keep playing well, all the other stuff will take care of itself,â he told the 42 website. âPlaying for Ireland is definitely something Iâd be interested in, it would be a really cool experience and I could see myself being here for a while if it came to that option.â
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