‘There is still a chip on my shoulder’: Tuipulotu ready to seal the series in Melbourne

The last time the British and Irish Lions played a Test in Melbourne twelve years ago, a 16-year-old Sione Tuipulotu watched his younger brother Mosese as a proud flag bearer at Docklands Stadium, before cheering on the Wallabies as they squared the series.

Next Saturday, Sione will return to Melbourne for the first time in at least three years with the chance to win a Test series against the country he grew up in. But he’s keen to stress, it’s not personal.

“I think if you asked me when I first moved from Melbourne I would say ‘yeah, it is personal and I think there is still a chip on my shoulder’,” Tuipulotu said.

“I feel like that’s what has got me to this point is having that chip on my shoulder, but in terms of being bitter about Australian rugby I feel like not at all, mate.

“I always say I wasn’t good enough to play for the Wallabies when I was in Melbourne, it wasn’t a selection problem, I wasn’t good enough.

“That’s plain and simple but I owe everything to Scottish rugby and now I get a chance to go back to Melbourne and play in my home city and hopefully close out a Test series.”

Tuipulotu will have the opportunity to play in front of friends and family at the MCG, including his Scottish grandmother Jaqueline Thomson who famously travelled back to her homeland to catch up with Sione and Mosese ahead of the Wallabies’ Test against Scotland last November.

Sione Tuipulotu of the British and Irish Lions celebrates after scoring a try during game one of the series between Australia Wallabies and British & Irish LionsCredit: Getty Images

In Brisbane, Tuipulotu was reunited with Wallabies centre Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii whom he tussled with last year in Edinburgh, after the former Roosters star was injured making a tackle.

The two centres had a fierce confrontation again in Brisbane, but Tuipulotu said that it’s simply a case of two competitors going hard against one another.

“There’s always talking on the field, isn’t there? He’s a competitor. I spoke to him after the game,” Tuipulotu said.

“He’s a competitor and so am I. I don’t say sorry about anything I say on the field but I’m sure he’s the same.

“Out there competing in the highest level of rugby it should be like that, it should be opposite positions going at each other, that’s what people want to see. I thought he was good tonight and it was nice playing up against him.”

Sione Tuipulotu takes a carry with Joseph Aukuso-Suaalii in defence.Credit: Getty Images

Tuipulotu has been acting as tour guide for his Lions’ teammates in Australia, and admitted to doing a poor job so far. The Scottish centre is confident that he bring far more expertise to Melbourne and is looking forward to catching up with former teammates after Tuesday’s game between the Lions and First Nations and Pasifika XV.

“There’s been so many games over this tour and the more games, the better, the more exposure for those players (First Nations and Pasifika XV) to get the opportunity to play against the Lions, I think it’s really special,” Tuipulotu said.

“Guys like Rob Leota and Lukhan (Salakaia-Loto) they’re all guys that I grew up with, Rob probably more specifically I grew up with since I was a kid, I know he wants one more game in Melbourne for him before he heads off to Bayonne.

“I know it’s really special for those players. We’re going to have to be really up for it and not be caught between two Tests, it’s going to be a tough game.”

Tuipulotu is braced for a motivated Wallabies side who are playing to keep the series alive in front of a huge crowd at the MCG after an impressive second-half comeback after being comprehensively outplayed in the first forty minutes.

“I think the most important thing this week is that we expect them to be desperate but no more desperate than us because we’re trying to close out a series next Saturday,” Tuipulotu said.

“We’ll focus on us this week and try and get everything right like we did this week and just up our performance again and then we can close it out.”

All nine matches of The British & Irish Lions Tour to Australia are live & on demand on Stan Sport, with Wallabies Tests in 4K. All Test matches live and free on Channel 9 & 9Now.