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Sione Tuipulotu says he could not be more content with the way his career has panned out as he prepares to captain Scotland against the country of his birth when Australia visit Murrayfield on Sunday.
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The 27-year-old begrudgingly left his homeland for Japan in 2018 due to a lack of opportunities and since moving to Glasgow in 2021 he has developed into one of the top centres in the world.
Wallabies scrum-half Nic White said earlier this week of Tuipulotu: “Unfortunately we let him get away, but he’s going to have a point to prove this weekend.”
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But the burgeoning back said on Saturday at his captain’s run press conference that he is entirely at ease that he ended up getting international recognition with the nation of grandmother’s birth rather than Australia.
“I think if you asked me that question maybe three years ago or when I first left Australia, I had so much, I suppose, animosity or professional anger inside of me just because I felt like maybe my talent really wasn’t looked after in Australia,” he said.
“But to be honest now I feel like I am where I’m supposed to be, like here in Scotland. And I feel like all those things that happened early in my career were meant to happen because now I’m sitting here talking to you guys in the position that I am.”
Tuipulotu has played against Australia once before when he started the last meeting between the teams two years ago.
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The thing that makes this one extra significant for the centre – aside from the fact he is now captain – is that his 77-year-old Scottish grandmother Jacqueline Thomson will be in attendance after she was flown over from Australia as a surprise by Skyscanner, Scottish Rugby’s travel partner, earlier this week.
Prior to their unexpected meeting in Edinburgh on Tuesday, Tuipulotu had not previously seen his beloved gran for four years. Sunday will be the first time she has watched him play rugby since he left Australia more than six years ago.
“It’s massively special,” he said. “I’m just trying not to make it bigger than it already is and I’ve taken my preparation real seriously this week. I’m just trying to not change anything.
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“I know it’s a big game for, I suppose, the media in terms of me playing back against Australia but it’s probably just more of a special game for me because my granny gets to watch me play and to be back in her home country.
“When I run out, I’ll look up and I’ll see her in the stands and she’ll sing the anthem. It will be special for me and my family and, most importantly, special for my gran. I’m so happy that she gets to have this experience because I wouldn’t be here without her.”
Go behind the scenes of both camps during the British and Irish Lions tour of South Africa in 2021. Binge watch exclusively on RugbyPass TV now
Rugby Australia is a joke. Meafou is playing for France and is the best young lock in the game. The treatment of Skelton is similar to these guys. A disgrace. They then multiply their stupidity by having silly OS player policies. Fire the lot of them and bring in some league managment.