Tuipulotu and Suaalii set for re-match after two Aussies named in 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.
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.
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"I've made it hard on myself just missing out on qualifying before now, but I've finally got there. I had chances in Australia, Macau and New Zealand and I couldn't finish it off so it's definitely tested my patience. "I'm glad it's held out in the end." Herbert was the only Australian across four qualifying venues to earn a place at the Open from July 17-20. As well as Smith and the resurgent Leishman, the 29-year-old joins Jason Day, Min Woo Lee, Adam Scott, Australasian Tour order of merit winner Elvis Smylie, Curtis Luck and New Zealand Open champion Ryan Peake at the season's final major. Sydney's Kevin Yuan missed out on the playoff at West Lancashire by a single shot after making birdie at his final hole. After making the halfway cut on his US major debut at the PGA Championship in May at Quail Hollow, Smylie says he's also fired up for Portrush. The 23-year-old has been poring over footage of the course and studying Irishman Shane Lowry's famous 2019 victory, when Smith was the only Australian to make the weekend. "I've been watching the official film that they do every year. Just watching it gives me goosebumps," Smylie said on a Zoom call ahead of next week's Scottish Open. "I'm just really excited to embrace the Northern Irish crowd with Rory and Shane Lowry and a handful of other top players. "It will be really cool." Former world No.1 Lee Westwood was another notable qualifier. The 52-year-old Englishman will contest his first major since 2022 after topping the scoring with seven under at Dundonald Links in Scotland. Westwood has never won a major but owns 19 top-10s, including a runner-up finish in 2010 and a T4 placement the last time the Open was played at Royal Portrush in 2019. Now also with LIV Golf, Westwood has not been eligible for any major since he tied for 34th behind the triumphant Smith at St Andrews three years ago. "The Open Championship is the greatest tournament in the golfing calendar," Westwood said. "The first time I played in The Open was in 1995 when I qualified at Leven and I thought it would be great to come back here and try to qualify for another one at Royal Portrush." Lucas Herbert has successfully qualified for the 153rd British Open, giving Australia a nine-strong contingent at Royal Portrush. Herbert will play just his second major championship in two years after topping final qualifying at West Lancashire with an eight-under-par two-round total to clinch medallist honours by one stroke from China's Sampson Zheng. Since joining compatriots Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman on LIV Golf's Ripper GC team last year, the 2024 PGA Championship, where he tied for 43rd, has been Herbert's lone major appearance. But the reigning NSW Open champ has been the team's most consistent performer this year and narrowly missed earning an Open exemption at the Australian Open and New Zealand Open as well as the International Series Macau earlier this season. "I'm super excited to be going to Portrush. I love playing in the Open," Herbert said. "For us Australians, it was the major we watched overnight growing up. It's really cool be playing in another one and joining my teammates, Cam Smith and Marc Leishman, there. "I've made it hard on myself just missing out on qualifying before now, but I've finally got there. I had chances in Australia, Macau and New Zealand and I couldn't finish it off so it's definitely tested my patience. "I'm glad it's held out in the end." Herbert was the only Australian across four qualifying venues to earn a place at the Open from July 17-20. 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