Edinburgh raid Super Rugby Pacific for Scotland star’s brother who has ‘a lot of potential’
Sydney, Australia. 03rd June, 2023. Mosese Tuipulotu of the NSW Waratahs during the Super Rugby Pacific Round 15 match between the NSW Waratahs and Moana Pasifika at Allianz Stadium in Sydney, Saturday, June 3, 2023. (AAP Image/Steven Markham) NO ARCHIVIN
Edinburgh have announced the signing of Scottish-qualified centre Mosese Tuipulotu, who will arrive from the Waratahs subject to visa and medical clearance.
The 23-year-old is eligible for Scotland by ancestry and follows in the footsteps of older brother and centre, Sione, who made the move from Australia in 2021.
Tuipulotu is a 102kg centre who will add significant grunt to the capital midfield stocks and has put pen to paper on a two-year contract with the Scottish side.
Itching to arrive
“I’m really excited to make the move over to Edinburgh in the coming months. I’m itching to get over there and experience something different to what I’ve grown up with,” said the player.
“I’ve been speaking to my brother [Sione] quite a bit and there’s a few boys in Sydney that have been over to Edinburgh. I’ve watched a few games from the URC and it’s an exciting competition so I’m really keen to get amongst it.
“I’m really excited if I get the opportunity to play in front of the Edinburgh fans. I like to carry hard and enjoy the contact area of the game but also like to get my teammates involved as much as I can. I’m excited to showcase my skill set in front of them.”
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Reflecting on facing his elder brother, he added: “I’ve actually never played against my brother, and the derby between Edinburgh and Glasgow looks like a pretty cool fixture to be a part of.
“If I do happen to get the opportunity to play in it, I’m sure it’ll be a special moment with Sione on the other side. I’ll look to expose him!”
Tuipulotu played much of his junior rugby in Victoria, coming through the ranks of the Melbourne Rebels academy, before he moved to New South Wales in 2021.
He made his Waratahs debut for the Super Rugby Pacific outfit in 2023 against the Hurricanes and featured recently in their away triumph against the Crusaders.
Dynamic player
On his new signing, head coach Sean Everitt said: “Edinburgh Rugby has been tracking Mosese’s progress this season and this is a signing that excites us greatly. He is a player that can bring a lot of dynamism and versatility to the side, and we are very pleased the club has been able to make this move happen.
“He’s a young Scottish qualified player with a lot of potential, who we believe will be a good foil for our current stable of centres, so it will be great to see him develop alongside our more experienced centres and our emerging home-grown talent.”