Tuipulotu targets 'unreal' Lions spot in native Australia

Glasgow Warriors and Scotland centre Sione Tuipulotu says it would beryllium "unreal" to play for nan British and Irish Lions successful his autochthonal Australia adjacent summer.

Melbourne-born Tuipulotu, 27, signed for Glasgow Warriors successful 2021 and made his Scotland debut soon after, qualifying done his grandma from Greenock.

He is now a favourite to make Andy Farrell's Lions squad, and short likelihood to make nan Test team. While he's keeping his feet connected nan ground, Tuipulotu admits a Lions spot is simply a monolithic target for him.

"When I arrived [at Glasgow] I couldn't moreover ideate that 4 years later aliases whatever, I could beryllium successful contention to perchance spell connected this tour," Tuipulotu said.

"But things person worked retired nevertheless they've worked out. Obviously, for myself, it is 1 of my goals. I want to beryllium a Lion.

"That's thing I want to do. But I cognize really to get location is what I did past year, virtually taking it 1 crippled astatine a clip and focusing connected that. I cognize erstwhile nan large games rotation around, I'll person nan assurance to play good successful nan large games.

"I consciousness for illustration that will put maine successful bully stead to hopefully get selected. But it's truthful acold down nan way that my adjacent attraction successful position of world rugby is nan autumn."

Tuipulotu was 1 of Glasgow’s standout operators connected nan roadworthy to nan United Rugby Championship title past play and he has started this play successful nan aforesaid barnstorming fashion.

He was a powerhouse successful Glasgow's 42-10 triumph complete Benetton connected Friday night. He will measurement backmost connected to nan world shape erstwhile Scotland big Fiji, South Africa, Portugal and Australia successful November.

"We've sewage a large task location pinch South Africa and worldly for illustration that," Tuipulotu said. "That [Lions tour] being astatine nan extremity of nan season, it's successful nan backmost of my mind, but it is 1 of my goals. I don't want to awkward distant from that."

And would it beryllium other typical because nan circuit is successful Australia?

"It would beryllium nan biggest point ever," he added. "I don't want this to sound weird, but I judge successful God and I judge successful each these things lining up for maine since I've sewage to Scotland.

"I judge that's 1 of nan things lined up. I would emotion to person an opportunity to spell complete location and play them pinch a spot of unfinished business.

"I near Australia, to beryllium honest, a small spot angry. I don't person nan aforesaid anger, but I still person that aforesaid competitiveness to want to spell backmost location and play them. It would beryllium unreal."