One brother is the new Scottish captain, a second has been called up by Gregor Townsend just months after arriving in the United Kingdom and now the third and youngest Tuipulotu, Ottavio, could soon be in their sights, too.
But, according to Nick Stiles, the former Wallaby, Queensland Reds coach and Melbourne Rebels general manager, Rugby Australia should do their best to hang on to the 20-year-old hooker, who earlier this year played for the Junior Wallabies.
That is, of course, if they haven’t already lost that battle after the Rebels’ messy culling earlier this year.
“He’s got all the tools,” Stiles told The Roar. “He’s a really good athlete, explosive, game-sense, tough, physical.
“We’re light on world class hookers at the moment, so he should be on a roster spot in 12 months’ time.
“He was pretty keen on making it in Australia.
“This is the bit with maybe the Rebels being gone, you lose some of that hometown attachment. The Tahs previously would have been good for him with his brother there, but he’s now gone. You’re up against it now with those two things.”
For now, Ottavio Tuipulotu won’t be going anywhere.
Ottavio Tuipulotu is expected to attract interest from Scottish rugby officials. (Photo by Kim Landy/Getty Images for Super Rugby)
The Junior Wallabies product has another year left on his pre-existing Elite Development Squad contract carrying over with the Rebels and has found a new home at the Waratahs – the same Super Rugby franchise his middle brother, Mosese, just departed in large part because of a lack of opportunity.
Indeed, it was only 18 months ago that the centre expressed his desire to stay in Australia to fight for the chance to play for the Wallabies.
But 12 minutes off the bench for the Waratahs in 2024, where he was listed below Lalakai Foketi, Izaia Perese and Joey Walton, saw Tuipulotu jump ship.
After just a handful of matches for Edinburgh, Mosese has already been called up by Townsend for the Autumn Nations Series.
He might be biased, but Ottavio has already received a huge endorsement from his older brother Sione, who earlier this week was named as Scotland’s new captain five years after leaving the Rebels and three years after first pulling on his adopted nation’s jersey.
“I believe in all my brothers,” said Sione in an interview recently with The Scotsman.
“Genuinely, I think if my littlest brother comes over here, he might end up being better than me and my brother. He’s 20. He’s a forward, a hooker. He had two knee reconstructions before he was 18. He had a really rough run with injuries but he’s really dedicated to his rugby, my little brother.
“I know he’s at the Waratahs now. He’s just moved up there after the [Melbourne] Rebels folded.
“I don’t make any decisions for him but if it was up to me, he would do one year there and then come over. Try to get as much rugby under his belt in Sydney and then come over.
“Sess [Mosese] had been selling him that. We had a group FaceTime the other day and Sess was like, ‘Bro, it’s not what you think. I got to Edinburgh and it’s like Harry Potter here, bro. I should have come ages ago’.
“So it’s like Sess was trying to sell him the dream massively but I can understand. When you’re on Bondi beach, you feel like your life’s pretty good. But I’m hoping to see him sooner rather than later.”
Mosese Tuipulotu – the brother of Scottish international Sione – said he wanted to play for the Wallabies in 2023 but left one year later after being starved of opportunties. Photo: Waratahs Media – Julius Dimataga
Fresh from having his first child, the explosive centre, who helped carve up England in recent years, is putting the squeeze on his youngest brother to help with the babysitting duties.
“It’s quite strange because I love having him now around my son and being so close with him, it’s such a good feeling,” said Sione, who qualifies for the nation via his Scottish grandmother Jaqueline ‘Anne’ Thomson.
“When I left Australia, my brother was a little s–t! Now he’s matured so much and he’s a really good uncle and he’s helpful and stuff like that. I’m so happy. I really want my littlest brother to come over next. So then we can just be three brothers in Scotland and lock up here for a bit.”
The fact Sione’s just been named captain makes the decision all the more compelling.
“The most emotional phone call I’ve ever had was Gregor phoning me to tell me I’ll be Scotland captain, but when he phoned to say my brother would be included was a pretty close second,” Sione told reporters earlier this week.
“Obviously you grow up with your brothers, you see everything they’ve been through to get to this point. To be honest, it’s a fairytale to have my brother there in the squad and I’m captain. I just feel really blessed.
“[Mosese] is very similar to me. He’s the most competitive guy I’ve ever met, and I know if his number’s called upon, he will take it with both hands and he’ll play with his heart. To be honest, we always joke about this but my gran back home, her favourite’s always been Mosese! I think he was the naughtiest so he spent the most time hiding out at her house so my dad couldn’t get to him. I know my gran will be so proud of him and I’m really looking forward to getting to work with him.
“My gran always wakes up in the middle of the night and watches me and Mosese’s Glasgow and Edinburgh games, and my dad always jokes around because the next day, she always watches his games back but never the Glasgow games!”
New Scotland captain Sione Tuipulotu in action against England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
The Waratahs are aware Ottavio is likely to be headhunted by Scottish officials.
But like those up north, the Waratahs are keen to see the youngster get out on the field and stay fit and healthy.
“No, I think they’re all over it,” Sione said. “I think the thing with my littlest brother is that he needs to play as much rugby because he’s been so injury prone.
“The most important thing is he gets rugby under the belt, proves himself back there and then if over here’s still interested, I’d love him to come over. He’s got an Italian name but he’s not going to play for Benetton!”
How much Ottavio is seen in 2025 remains to be seen.
With the Wallabies’ most-capped captain in 2023 Dave Porecki fit and healthy, opportunities aren’t expected to be easy to come by especially with Mahe Vaianu and Julian Heaven proving their worth this season.
But given the pedigree Sione, a player who flourished when given opportunities at Glasgow, it’s a battle the Waratahs and Rugby Australia should be prepared to have.
