The occasion will have extra poignancy for the Glasgow centre given the presence of his 77-year-old grandmother from Greenock, Jacqueline Thomson, who flew over from Australia this week for a surprise visit and will be watching him play for the first time since he left home more than six years ago, initially to Japan.
“It’s massively special,” Tuipulotu said on the eve of Scotland’s final match of this Autumn Nations Series. “I’m just trying not to make it bigger than it already is and I’ve taken my preparation real seriously.
“When I run out, I’ll look up and I’ll see her in the stands and she’ll sing the anthem. It will be special for me and my family and, most importantly, my gran. I’m so happy that she gets to have this experience because I wouldn’t be here without her.”
Tuipulotu admits he previously felt “animosity or professional anger” towards his birth country “because I felt like maybe my talent really wasn’t looked after in Australia”.
But the 27-year-old now believes he is “where I’m supposed to be” as he aims to lead Scotland to what could be an important victory in their own voyage to fulfilment.
Apart from injured No.8 Jack Dempsey, Gregor Townsend has picked his strongest team available.
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Denne historien er fra November 24, 2024-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
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