- Zion Tuipulotu is Scotland’s new rugby captain
- Born in Victoria, played for Junior Wallabies.
- Thanks to my grandmother, I qualified for Scotland.
Melbourne grandmother Jaqueline Thomson, Scotland’s new rugby captain and former junior Wallaby, is a source of inspiration.
Sione Tuipulotu, 27, was born in Victoria and represented the Melbourne Rebels from 2016 to 2019.
However, with limited opportunities at Super Rugby level, he decided to test himself overseas.
Hard-running center Tuipulotu moved to Japan and Scotland before joining Glasgow Warriors in 2020.
His electric performances at club level soon saw him called up to the national team, where he featured prominently in 29 Tests.
So when Scotland manager Gregor Townsend was looking for a new skipper, he had no hesitation in awarding the honor to Tuipulotu.
Additionally, his younger brother, Moses Tuipulotu, who is also a center, was named to the 45-man squad ahead of international matches in November.
The siblings qualified for the Scotland national team through their maternal grandmother, Thomson, who grew up in Greenock, outside Glasgow.
Melbourne-born Sione Tuipulotu was recently appointed as Scotland’s new rugby captain.
Sione Tuipulotu and his brother Mosese qualified for the Scotland national team through their maternal grandmother Jaqueline Thomson (pictured), who grew up on the outskirts of Glasgow.
She then moved to Australia and settled in Frankston, southeast of Melbourne.
Naturally, she was beaming with pride when she heard the news through two of her favorite grandchildren.
‘We are very, very close. They were always nice to me, very polite and friendly. ‘What else could I do but be proud of them?’ Thompson told the Sydney Morning Herald:
‘I love the game and I always watch them play at night. It usually comes at 3 am.
‘But it’s okay. I really like it. It’s also a chance to see them. ‘Because I miss you.’
Tuipulotu told Scottish reporters that Thomson had played a large role in raising the family.
“Because our parents worked quite hard, we (the boys) used to go and stay at our grandmother’s house,” he said.
Sion Tuipulotu is the second Australian to captain Scotland, following former Wallaby Doug Keller in 1949.
