Latest news with #AsOne
North Wales Chronicle
20-05-2025
- Sport
- North Wales Chronicle
I'm all in – Australia-born Sione Tuipulotu eager to show Lions commitment
Amid ongoing debate about the selection of foreign-born players, the Glasgow centre is set to line up against his native Australia during this summer's Lions tour. Melbourne-born Tuipulotu, who made his international debut in 2021, is among seven members of Andy Farrell's 38-man squad who hail from overseas. We have Lions in the building! 😍🦁#Lions2025 #WeGoBeyond — British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) May 18, 2025 While five of those players are eligible for their adopted nations purely on residency rules, Tuipulotu qualified through ancestry. The 28-year-old's Greenock-born grandmother was at Murrayfield last autumn to see him score a try while leading Scotland to a 27-13 defeat of the Wallabies. 'I put so much on myself that I really wanted to be a Lion because I know how much it means to people over here,' said Tuipulotu, who initially feared his tour participation may be ruined by injury. 'I had gone all in with the stuff with Scotland and I just felt what better way to prove my allegiance to Scotland than go all in and try and make the Lions. That's why it meant so much to me. 'Genuinely early days you have that feeling of 'am I part of this?'. I always feel like talking about it is one thing but showing people how much it means to you in how you play (is another). 'When my gran came over before the Australia game, it allowed the public to put a face to the story and listen to my grandma and how much it meant to her. I think that gave eyes to the public that my story was authentic. 'I'm all in and I'm looking forward to showing how committed I am to playing for the Lions.' Tuipulotu is raring to go after returning from four months out with a pectoral issue during Glasgow's 13-5 defeat to Leinster on Saturday. Our Lions 🦁#AsOne #Lions2025 — Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) May 13, 2025 He will be joined on tour by South Africa-born Scotland team-mates Pierre Schoeman and Duhan van der Merwe and New Zealand-born Ireland trio Bundee Aki, James Lowe and Jamison Gibson-Park. Canberra-born Ireland wing Mack Hansen, whose mother comes from Cork, will also be on the plane back to his homeland. 'I've been nothing but embraced by the Scottish public ever since I started playing for Scotland,' said Tuipulotu, who has 30 Test caps. 'There's always going to be a couple of people (who criticise), like there are for some of the Irish boys, but I take that in my stride because I don't blame those people either. 'I didn't grow up dreaming of playing for Scotland or the Lions, that's the truth. 'But this is where my path has led me and I'm all in for this Lions team and for Scotland and for Glasgow, and I genuinely feel like this is where I'm supposed to be. 'I just want to grab this opportunity because I'll never get it again, to go back to Australia, and play for the Lions.' Ireland wing Lowe lined up against the Lions for the Maori All Blacks during the 2017 series in New Zealand. Our 2025 Lions! 🦁 #LionsRugby — Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) May 8, 2025 The 32-year-old joined Leinster later that year and won the first of his 40 international caps in 2020. 'When you don't have the blood running through your veins, there's a little bit of that,' he replied when asked about his allegiance being questioned. 'When I was first selected for Ireland, all the people come out of the woodwork saying, 'how is this person representing Ireland?'. 'The rules were there. We've all done our time and we're fully embedded in the culture of Irish rugby.'
South Wales Guardian
19-05-2025
- Sport
- South Wales Guardian
I'm all in – Australia-born Sione Tuipulotu eager to show Lions commitment
Amid ongoing debate about the selection of foreign-born players, the Glasgow centre is set to line up against his native Australia during this summer's Lions tour. Melbourne-born Tuipulotu, who made his international debut in 2021, is among seven members of Andy Farrell's 38-man squad who hail from overseas. We have Lions in the building! 😍🦁#Lions2025 #WeGoBeyond — British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) May 18, 2025 While five of those players are eligible for their adopted nations purely on residency rules, Tuipulotu qualified through ancestry. The 28-year-old's Greenock-born grandmother was at Murrayfield last autumn to see him score a try while leading Scotland to a 27-13 defeat of the Wallabies. 'I put so much on myself that I really wanted to be a Lion because I know how much it means to people over here,' said Tuipulotu, who initially feared his tour participation may be ruined by injury. 'I had gone all in with the stuff with Scotland and I just felt what better way to prove my allegiance to Scotland than go all in and try and make the Lions. That's why it meant so much to me. 'Genuinely early days you have that feeling of 'am I part of this?'. I always feel like talking about it is one thing but showing people how much it means to you in how you play (is another). 'When my gran came over before the Australia game, it allowed the public to put a face to the story and listen to my grandma and how much it meant to her. I think that gave eyes to the public that my story was authentic. 'I'm all in and I'm looking forward to showing how committed I am to playing for the Lions.' Tuipulotu is raring to go after returning from four months out with a pectoral issue during Glasgow's 13-5 defeat to Leinster on Saturday. Our Lions 🦁#AsOne #Lions2025 — Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) May 13, 2025 He will be joined on tour by South Africa-born Scotland team-mates Pierre Schoeman and Duhan van der Merwe and New Zealand-born Ireland trio Bundee Aki, James Lowe and Jamison Gibson-Park. Canberra-born Ireland wing Mack Hansen, whose mother comes from Cork, will also be on the plane back to his homeland. 'I've been nothing but embraced by the Scottish public ever since I started playing for Scotland,' said Tuipulotu, who has 30 Test caps. 'There's always going to be a couple of people (who criticise), like there are for some of the Irish boys, but I take that in my stride because I don't blame those people either. 'I didn't grow up dreaming of playing for Scotland or the Lions, that's the truth. 'But this is where my path has led me and I'm all in for this Lions team and for Scotland and for Glasgow, and I genuinely feel like this is where I'm supposed to be. 'I just want to grab this opportunity because I'll never get it again, to go back to Australia, and play for the Lions.' Ireland wing Lowe lined up against the Lions for the Maori All Blacks during the 2017 series in New Zealand. Our 2025 Lions! 🦁 #LionsRugby — Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) May 8, 2025 The 32-year-old joined Leinster later that year and won the first of his 40 international caps in 2020. 'When you don't have the blood running through your veins, there's a little bit of that,' he replied when asked about his allegiance being questioned. 'When I was first selected for Ireland, all the people come out of the woodwork saying, 'how is this person representing Ireland?'. 'The rules were there. We've all done our time and we're fully embedded in the culture of Irish rugby.'
Leader Live
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Leader Live
I'm all in – Australia-born Sione Tuipulotu eager to show Lions commitment
Amid ongoing debate about the selection of foreign-born players, the Glasgow centre is set to line up against his native Australia during this summer's Lions tour. Melbourne-born Tuipulotu, who made his international debut in 2021, is among seven members of Andy Farrell's 38-man squad who hail from overseas. We have Lions in the building! 😍🦁#Lions2025 #WeGoBeyond — British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) May 18, 2025 While five of those players are eligible for their adopted nations purely on residency rules, Tuipulotu qualified through ancestry. The 28-year-old's Greenock-born grandmother was at Murrayfield last autumn to see him score a try while leading Scotland to a 27-13 defeat of the Wallabies. 'I put so much on myself that I really wanted to be a Lion because I know how much it means to people over here,' said Tuipulotu, who initially feared his tour participation may be ruined by injury. 'I had gone all in with the stuff with Scotland and I just felt what better way to prove my allegiance to Scotland than go all in and try and make the Lions. That's why it meant so much to me. 'Genuinely early days you have that feeling of 'am I part of this?'. I always feel like talking about it is one thing but showing people how much it means to you in how you play (is another). 'When my gran came over before the Australia game, it allowed the public to put a face to the story and listen to my grandma and how much it meant to her. I think that gave eyes to the public that my story was authentic. 'I'm all in and I'm looking forward to showing how committed I am to playing for the Lions.' Tuipulotu is raring to go after returning from four months out with a pectoral issue during Glasgow's 13-5 defeat to Leinster on Saturday. Our Lions 🦁#AsOne #Lions2025 — Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) May 13, 2025 He will be joined on tour by South Africa-born Scotland team-mates Pierre Schoeman and Duhan van der Merwe and New Zealand-born Ireland trio Bundee Aki, James Lowe and Jamison Gibson-Park. Canberra-born Ireland wing Mack Hansen, whose mother comes from Cork, will also be on the plane back to his homeland. 'I've been nothing but embraced by the Scottish public ever since I started playing for Scotland,' said Tuipulotu, who has 30 Test caps. 'There's always going to be a couple of people (who criticise), like there are for some of the Irish boys, but I take that in my stride because I don't blame those people either. 'I didn't grow up dreaming of playing for Scotland or the Lions, that's the truth. 'But this is where my path has led me and I'm all in for this Lions team and for Scotland and for Glasgow, and I genuinely feel like this is where I'm supposed to be. 'I just want to grab this opportunity because I'll never get it again, to go back to Australia, and play for the Lions.' Ireland wing Lowe lined up against the Lions for the Maori All Blacks during the 2017 series in New Zealand. Our 2025 Lions! 🦁 #LionsRugby — Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) May 8, 2025 The 32-year-old joined Leinster later that year and won the first of his 40 international caps in 2020. 'When you don't have the blood running through your veins, there's a little bit of that,' he replied when asked about his allegiance being questioned. 'When I was first selected for Ireland, all the people come out of the woodwork saying, 'how is this person representing Ireland?'. 'The rules were there. We've all done our time and we're fully embedded in the culture of Irish rugby.'
Powys County Times
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Powys County Times
Scotland captain Sione Tuipulotu was worried injury would wreck his Lions dream
Emotional Scotland captain Sione Tuipulotu welled up in tears as he admitted he feared injury had wrecked his chances of British and Irish Lions selection. The centre was one of eight Scotland players – and four from Glasgow Warriors – included in Andy Farrell's 38-man squad for the summer tour of Australia. Melbourne-born Tuipulotu was selected despite being sidelined since suffering a pectoral injury in January. 'When I got hurt, that's all that came into my mind, is that I wouldn't be able to play for Scotland in the Six Nations when I'd just been named skipper, and it felt like I let the country down a little bit,' said Tuipulotu speaking at Scotstoun after watching the squad announcement with his Glasgow team-mates. The men representing The Thistle on The British & Irish Lions Team 🦁 #AsOne | #Lions2025 | @lionsofficial — Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) May 8, 2025 'And then you add in the fact that it was a Lions year, and I'll be blatantly honest, I thought it was over for me. But there were people in my corner, the Scotland coaches and stuff like that, they always told me to stay calm and trust the work that I've put in. I took a bit of that advice, but I was worried. 'It was a natural reaction to be so worried when you can't be out there influencing the situation. But hearing your name, you get the relief and also the reassurance of what you've done already. Now it's just about coming back and proving I'm a better player than when I got hurt.' Tuipulotu temporarily stopped to compose himself as his emotions got the better of him while discussing the thrill of being called up for a Lions tour in his homeland. 'When the Lions came up four years ago, when I moved over here (to Glasgow in 2021), I would never have thought of it but this year I put so much into it, I wanted to be a Lion so bad,' said the 28-year-old. What it means🦁 #WhateverItTakes ⚔️🛡️ — Glasgow Warriors (@GlasgowWarriors) May 8, 2025 'It's not just this year's work, it feels like a lifetime of work for me. Ever since I was 12, since I started playing footy all the way up to this point, this is the pinnacle. So to hear my name, my family name, get called, it's such an honour. 'To think of my family in the stands, wearing Lions jerseys and stuff like that, that's amazing. I can't wait to head home (to Australia) with this group and try and achieve something real special. Oh man, I'm so excited.' Tuipulotu has recovered from injury and is set to play for Glasgow in the coming weeks. 'There's not much work to be done anymore,' he said. 'I feel like I've done it all, it's just about timing now. It's been three and a half months, it's about making the right decision about when is right in terms of returning.' Tuipulotu was joined in the Lions squad by club-mates Huw Jones, Zander Fagerson and Scott Cummings, as well as international colleagues Finn Russell, Blair Kinghorn, Duhan van der Merwe and Pierre Schoeman. The moment Scott found out he was a Lion 🦁 #WhateverItTakes ⚔️🛡️ — Glasgow Warriors (@GlasgowWarriors) May 8, 2025 Second-rower Cummings was an under-the-radar selection after making just one sub appearance for Glasgow since suffering a forearm injury in January. 'I was trying not to get my hopes up obviously with the fact that I haven't played too much,' said the 28-year-old. 'I'd obviously been playing for Scotland for a couple of years, but when you miss the whole Six Nations, you don't know whether the coaches remember what you've done before or if they're picking on form, which, obviously, I don't technically have much of because I haven't been playing. 'You don't know if you're going to fit what the coach wants out of players as well so when the injury happened, I didn't know if that sort of killed my chances. Thankfully, I heard my name got called out. It's difficult to comprehend, I'm still buzzing.'
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Scotland captain Sione Tuipulotu was worried injury would wreck his Lions dream
Emotional Scotland captain Sione Tuipulotu welled up in tears as he admitted he feared injury had wrecked his chances of British and Irish Lions selection. The centre was one of eight Scotland players – and four from Glasgow Warriors – included in Andy Farrell's 38-man squad for the summer tour of Australia. Melbourne-born Tuipulotu was selected despite being sidelined since suffering a pectoral injury in January. 'When I got hurt, that's all that came into my mind, is that I wouldn't be able to play for Scotland in the Six Nations when I'd just been named skipper, and it felt like I let the country down a little bit,' said Tuipulotu speaking at Scotstoun after watching the squad announcement with his Glasgow team-mates. The men representing The Thistle on The British & Irish Lions Team 🦁 #AsOne | #Lions2025 | @lionsofficial — Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) May 8, 2025 'And then you add in the fact that it was a Lions year, and I'll be blatantly honest, I thought it was over for me. But there were people in my corner, the Scotland coaches and stuff like that, they always told me to stay calm and trust the work that I've put in. I took a bit of that advice, but I was worried. 'It was a natural reaction to be so worried when you can't be out there influencing the situation. But hearing your name, you get the relief and also the reassurance of what you've done already. Now it's just about coming back and proving I'm a better player than when I got hurt.' Tuipulotu temporarily stopped to compose himself as his emotions got the better of him while discussing the thrill of being called up for a Lions tour in his homeland. 'When the Lions came up four years ago, when I moved over here (to Glasgow in 2021), I would never have thought of it but this year I put so much into it, I wanted to be a Lion so bad,' said the 28-year-old. What it means🦁#WhateverItTakes ⚔️🛡️ — Glasgow Warriors (@GlasgowWarriors) May 8, 2025 'It's not just this year's work, it feels like a lifetime of work for me. Ever since I was 12, since I started playing footy all the way up to this point, this is the pinnacle. So to hear my name, my family name, get called, it's such an honour. 'To think of my family in the stands, wearing Lions jerseys and stuff like that, that's amazing. I can't wait to head home (to Australia) with this group and try and achieve something real special. Oh man, I'm so excited.' Tuipulotu has recovered from injury and is set to play for Glasgow in the coming weeks. 'There's not much work to be done anymore,' he said. 'I feel like I've done it all, it's just about timing now. It's been three and a half months, it's about making the right decision about when is right in terms of returning.' Tuipulotu was joined in the Lions squad by club-mates Huw Jones, Zander Fagerson and Scott Cummings, as well as international colleagues Finn Russell, Blair Kinghorn, Duhan van der Merwe and Pierre Schoeman. The moment Scott found out he was a Lion 🦁 #WhateverItTakes ⚔️🛡️ — Glasgow Warriors (@GlasgowWarriors) May 8, 2025 Second-rower Cummings was an under-the-radar selection after making just one sub appearance for Glasgow since suffering a forearm injury in January. 'I was trying not to get my hopes up obviously with the fact that I haven't played too much,' said the 28-year-old. 'I'd obviously been playing for Scotland for a couple of years, but when you miss the whole Six Nations, you don't know whether the coaches remember what you've done before or if they're picking on form, which, obviously, I don't technically have much of because I haven't been playing. 'You don't know if you're going to fit what the coach wants out of players as well so when the injury happened, I didn't know if that sort of killed my chances. Thankfully, I heard my name got called out. It's difficult to comprehend, I'm still buzzing.'
