Waratahs youngster Mosese Tuipulotu might have declared “mate I’m backing gold” when asked last month about his future international ambitions, but Scotland are set to seriously test his loyalties with a big money offer.
“It’s always been a dream of mine to play for the Wallabies and wear the gold jersey,” said Tuipulotu, whose older brother Sione has been called up by Scotland, qualifying through their grandmother.
Tuipulotu should make his Waratahs debut off the bench against the Hurricanes on Friday and faces an intriguing decision with reports that Scotland are set to tempt him with a $225,000 a season deal, according to media reports.
He would be on a lot less than that at the Tahs but there is a potential pathway looming into the first team with neither Lalakai Foketi or Izzy Perese yet tied down beyond the World Cup.
The Tahs are also likely to give him an upgraded contract offer for next season but the cash he can receive under the Scotland Qualified program will concern them.
Meanwhile Sione cast doubt over his brother’s emphatic statement that the Wallabies were his first and only love.
“I’m not sure it’s that true, to be honest,” Sione was quoted as saying by The Scotsman.
“I don’t know if they mixed up a couple of quotes or whatever. I speak to my brother quite often and his motivation is that he’s still got six months left with the Waratahs and he wants to play as much Super Rugby this year as he possibly can.
“He’s started well in pre-season but at the end of the day he’s got two Wallaby centres ahead of him in Lalakai Foketi and Izaia Perese.
Mosese Tuipulotu – the brother of Scottish international Sione. Photo: Waratahs Media – Julius Dimataga
“My brother dances to the beat of his own drum and while I’m over here he wants to do his thing, so that might be staying in Australia or might be coming over here.
“He holds his cards close to his chest. He’s a centre too so maybe Gregor [Townsend] is talking to him on the sly. I always say that if he was to come over then send him to Edinburgh because I don’t want him to steal my position at Glasgow!”
Tahs plan to handle Ardie
The NSW Waratahs, wisely, have no plans to rattle Ardie Savea’s cage when the destructive back-rower makes his return from suspension in a pivotal Super Rugby Pacific encounter in Wellington.
Coming off a lacklustre loss to the Rebels in Melbourne, the Waratahs concede starting their campaign with a one-from-four record would leave the 2022 quarter-finalists playing catch-up.
Winning in New Zealand has proven elusive enough for Australian sides in recent years, without having to deal with a smarting Savea returning from the long run after being banned for a game for a throat-slitting gesture towards Rebels halfback Ryan Louwrens.
“Don’t poke the bear I reckon,” Waratahs lock Ned Hanigan said on Wednesday when asked how best to nullify the All Blacks star at Sky Stadium.
Rebels and Hurricanes clash during the round two Super Rugby Pacific match between Melbourne Rebels and Hurricanes at AAMI Park, on March 03, 2023, in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
“An unreal player. His ball carrying abilities and skills in disrupting what you want to do with the ball, he’s a back-rower that’s considered world class for a reason.”
Fresh from re-signing with the Waratahs until the end of 2024, flanker Charlie Gamble acknowledged the mighty challenge ahead.
“Ardie’s Ardie, he’s probably the best player in the world at the moment,” Gamble said.
The NSW Waratahs Women take on Force and the Tahs men battle the Chiefs in an enthralling double-header on Friday, 24 March at Allianz Stadium.
“It’s all about bringing that energy and that work rate around the field.
“If you feel like you’re competing for absolutely everything then … if he’s a better player, if he’s carrying a lot stronger than you, if he’s making line breaks, it is what it is.
“That’s Ardie Savea. There’s going to be parts of the game where he’s going to do some outstanding stuff on the field. It’s just about limiting that.
“We’ll be doing as much as we can to reply to that. It’s an exciting challenge.”
While Savea has only been watching on from the sidelines for a week, Hanigan last played for NSW back in 2020 and plans on packing his own punch in his long-awaited comeback game after a three-season stint in Japan.
A knee injury delayed the former Wallabies star’s return and he’s now champing at the bit to get stuck in.
“I can’t wait. I was really disappointed I didn’t get there in round one,” he said.
“It was something we’d built into across the summer and the goal was to be out there.
“I’d played parts of the two trials and just felt really good going into but got cut short so had to get the knee right.
“Honestly, I can’t even put it into words. It’s going to be great.”
The lure of another Rugby World Cup, which kicks off in France in September, is also driving the 27-year-old.
“Anyone in Australian footy at the moment who is eligible to play, you’ve got to have your sights set on it because it’s the epitome of sport,” Hanigan said.
“It’s where you want to be. The best against the best.
“But there’s a lot of footy to be played between now and then.”
Key ABs sign up
All Blacks back David Havili and prop Tyrel Lomax have re-signed with New Zealand Rugby.
Havili, who has 25 caps and was a key member of the Crusaders’ six straight Super Rugby titles, has committed to the end of 2025.
The 28-year-old utility has featured in 22 of the All Blacks’ 28 latest Tests and played in five of the six SR finals.
“To coach someone that has multiple skills, that can play in so many different positions at a world-class level, is so unique,” said Crusaders coach Scott Robertson, who is a leading candidate to be Havili’s next national team coach.
“He has a skill factor, but a toughness factor too. He’s tough as a trainer, tough as a player and tough on himself. He’s got true grit in him.
“For him to sign on until 2025 and be so loyal just shows what it means to him to play rugby here in New Zealand. It shows how much we value him and how much he values us.”
Lomax, 26, has re-committed to New Zealand Rugby until the end of 2026.
The 23-Test tighthead prop was one of the All Blacks’ top performers in 2022 and is expected to be a key member of the World Cup squad later this year.
England vow to avoid new humiliation
England’s chastened players have made a pact to ensure there is no repeat of their 53-10 record Six Nations defeat by France, prop Ellis Genge says.
With regular skipper Owen Farrell on the bench, Genge captained England at Twickenham against France in what was their third-heaviest defeat of all time, and their biggest at home.
“We’ve had a review,” Genge told Sky Sports. “It clearly wasn’t good enough, but I don’t think anyone was under any illusion that it was.
“We’ve had some honest conversations as to why that happened. We’ve cleared that up and made a pact that it’s not going to happen again.”
England are fourth in the Six Nations standings after two wins and two defeats.
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They travel to Dublin on Saturday for the final match of the championship to face leaders Ireland, who are chasing a grand slam.
“I don’t know what the result is going to be on Saturday, but as long as we fight and have each other’s backs, that’s what we’ll be going after,” Genge said.
“They’re a brilliant, brilliant side and deserve to be number one.
“It’s all against us, but we’re excited. We’ve got to put things right, but the pressure is probably more on them.”
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
Yet to watch, good to know though
SDRedsFan
Roar Rookie
He was good tonight against the Hurricanes
TJ-Go Force!
Roar Rookie
Really good point
TJ-Go Force!
Roar Rookie
If I’m Oz rugby I would be trying to retain Foketi, Brumbies 13, and Tuipolotu. I would let Perese go. No offence to him, but after that knee he won’t be the same player he was before.
Greysy
Roar Rookie
Somewhere like Tonga with a population of less than 150,000 and no money is never going to be able to drag itself up on its own. Expecting it to do so is a good way to kill it as a viable test nation. While what is currently considered a tier 1 nation is indeed very murky, there's no reason why this can't be formalised and Japan included within it. Your comment about hard choices is strange in this context too, because it appears to me that Scotland by neglecting their u20s etc. and focusing resources on foreign imports is very much not making the hard choices to drive success.
Brendan NH Fan
Roar Rookie
It is not top down. If you believe its bottom up then how does it fund itself. The PIs are bottom up but have no money. Scotland is trying to work on their grassroots but the problem is their pathway was missing a level between URC and Club which has been filled with Super6. Unlike Oz and NZ who can afford to fund what they have SRU can. They also have been able to fund a professional women's program because 20k extra people are paying $50 a game to watch them. Without the top level there is not money to do any of it as Oz has shown
Brendan NH Fan
Roar Rookie
What is a tier 1 nation. Japan has more players than Scotland and nearly as much money. Problem the PIs have is that WR have tried to bend rules for them and have not made them make the hard choices. Teams like Georgia, Spain etc have not so have dragged themselves up. Look no further than the Americas where the North has regressed after T1 games and tours allthe time, while the South having to fight for everything has been able to succeed. But some would rather see Union become like league with 4 countries at test level and the rest dying.
woodart
Roar Rookie
trying to grow a sport from the top down has never worked. its hard to compare scotland against aus re rugby. one is joined at the hip to 50 million people with another 50 million an hours flying time away, and only one competing contact sport . the other isnt. if all you want to do is have big test match crowds and a reasonable bank balance , flag everything , and just have FIFO's.
jcmasher
Roar Rookie
Like any league coach knows anything about tackling. He’ll have them all running upright into head contact or shoulder charging.
jcmasher
Roar Rookie
And that’s why we lose players. Perese has done nothing to demonstrate why he keeps anyone out. Looks good in attack once in every 5 games but his positioning on defence is poor and his distribution is crap. Doesn’t seem to know when to pass and kick and when not too. But he’s an ex-league player so we give him a free ride
piru
Roar Rookie
Quod licet iovi non licet bovi
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
I agree. I worry about big Nemani
Tim J
Roar Rookie
Exactly Don.
Malo
Guest
Agree being a fringe super player is career suicide, you do lots of gym and beep tests, sit on the pine and hold the pads. Go to Scotland play in one of the many clubs improve your footy , get paid well and hopefully play with your bro for Scotland. It ain’t even a choice.
Perthstayer
Roar Rookie
Mcscottie :laughing:
Brendan NH Fan
Roar Rookie
Surely Mosese sees the benefits of moving North. As a young player he would have double the time with the professional team, double the number of games to improve on the field and would get alot more money. The article a month ago was discussing his semi-pro club efforts how does that improve someone looking to be an international. He is unlikely to make either side after 2 years and would be able to come back to Oz a better player and get a better wage. If he stays in Oz what does he actually gain at being a better player. His brother was meant to be not physical enough for SR but in a fulltime professional environment and racking up 20-25 games a year is very physical at test level. I don't think SR now brings enough players up to test level and it is individual skill and personal work that get them there. Before every SR player was strong enough, fast enough and skillful enough for test but not so much now. Its been something Ireland had to fix before they built squad depth.
Brendan NH Fan
Roar Rookie
He would be able to double his wages, his playing time and his professional training.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Shocked to hear about 10s being average defenders. First I’ve heard of this
Brendan NH Fan
Roar Rookie
It interesting that Oz is going down the same path that Scotland were on in 2010 yet don't want to learn from how the SRU went from also bankrupt to nearly 50% in about 5 years.
Brendan NH Fan
Roar Rookie
They introduced the Super 6 that helps bring through young players. They also don't refer to their players by the orgin but all are Scottish players. People like VDM who was let go by a French club will get more young people involved than Scot McScottie who is rubbish. They get 60k to their test games which goes along way to funding Scottish rugby, when they got 40k like Oz do they were going bust. Anyone who saw the anthem v Ireland says the nation sees them as Scottish.