I'd love to watch my brother play for the British and Irish Lions - but Scotland tour is my big goal

The last time the British & Irish Lions toured Australia, Mosese Tuipulotu was a flagbearer at one of the games. Twelve years later, the Edinburgh centre hopes to be watching big brother Sione taking on the Wallabies.

Tuipulotu junior was 12 when he was involved in the pre-match ceremony as the Melbourne Rebels took on the Lions in a midweek match between the first and second Tests in 2013. The tourists won 35-0 and included Scotland trio Sean Maitland, Ryan Grant and Richie Gray in their starting side, with Stuart Hogg coming off the bench. The memories are a little hazy, admitted Mosese.

“I was talking about it with a couple of the boys, I was actually the flag-bearer at one of the games - I think it was the Rebels playing the Lions in Melbourne but it was a long time ago, I was very young,” he said. “It was obviously a massive occasion. I didn’t think of it as that but now you realise the magnitude of it.”

Edinburgh's Mosese Tuipulotu was a flag bearer the last time the Lions toured Australia 12 years ago. (Photo by Ewan Bootman / SNS Group) | SNS Group

Having been born and brought up in Australia, this year’s tour has added significance for the Tuipulotu brothers who are now part of the fabric of Scottish rugby, qualifying through their Greenock granny.

Andy Farrell, the Lions head coach, will name his squad on Thursday and Sione Tuipulotu is odds-on to be included. The Glasgow Warriors centre missed the Six Nations after ripping a pectoral muscle in training in January but has recovered quicker than expected from surgery and could make his return this weekend when Glasgow play Benetton in Italy.

“I think his rehab is going well,” reported Mosese. “I think they didn’t anticipate him making a comeback as early as he might. I’m not sure when he’s going to return, whether it’s this week or next, but yeah, he’s doing really well with his rehab and I think he’s in a good spot.

“I would obviously love to see him in that squad, and for him to go home to where he grew up, it would be awesome seeing him tour. I think for him it’s just about getting back healthy more than anything, and then I guess the footy will take care of itself.”

Sione Tuipulotu (L) and Mosese Tuipulotu (R) with their Scottish grandmother Jaqueline Thomson. (Photo by Ross MacDonald / SNS Group) | SNS Group / SRU

Mosese would love to be there if and when his big brother pulls on the famous red jersey but he may be otherwise engaged. Scotland have their own summer tour, to New Zealand and Fiji, and Mosese will be pushing for inclusion.

“That’s obviously the big goal, to go on that,” he said. “But I will, I think, head home in the off season and enjoy some time with my family, and then hopefully if Sione is to make that squad it would be awesome to watch him play.”

Before that, there’s important business with Edinburgh to take care of as they seek to make the play-offs in the United Rugby Championship. They play Connacht in Galway on Saturday night and then Ulster at home the following week and they are games they will need to win to have a chance of making the all-important top eight.

“There are only two games left and they’re hugely important, especially this week,” said Mosese who scored a try in the Challenge Cup semi-final loss to Bath last weekend. “We know that if we don’t win this game, it’s nearly impossible to make the eight. So we’re treating it as a do or die. We’re raring to go.”