Tuipulotu signs from Waratahs

• 6 May 2024
• News

Edinburgh Rugby today announced the signing of Scottish-qualified centre Mosese Tuipulotu from the New South Wales Waratahs on a two-year deal, subject to visa and medical clearance.

Comfortable in the 12 and 13 jerseys, Mosese – who turned 23 on Sunday – is eligible for Scotland by ancestry and follows in the footsteps of older brother and established Scotland centre, Sione, who has earned 25 caps since making the move from Australia in 2021.

The six-foot, 102kg centre adds significant ballast to the capital midfield stocks, with current quartet of James Lang, Chris Dean, Mark Bennett, and Matt Currie all remaining with the club.

On moving to Edinburgh, Mosese Tuipulotu, said: “I’m really excited to make the move over to Edinburgh in the coming months. I’m itching to get over there and experience something different to what I’ve grown up with.

“I’ve been speaking to my brother [Sione] quite a bit and there’s a few boys in Sydney that have been over to Edinburgh. I’ve watched a few games from the URC and it’s an exciting competition so I’m really keen to get amongst it.

“I’m really excited if I get the opportunity to play in front of the Edinburgh fans. I like to carry hard and enjoy the contact area of the game but also like to get my teammates involved as much as I can. I’m excited to showcase my skill set in front of them.”

Reflecting on facing his elder brother, he added: “I’ve actually never played against my brother and the derby between Edinburgh and Glasgow looks like a pretty cool fixture to be a part of.

“If I do happen to get the opportunity to play in it, I’m sure it’ll be a special moment with Sione on the other side. I’ll look to expose him!”

A product of St Kevin’s College, Melbourne, Tuipulotu played much of his junior rugby in Victoria, coming through the ranks of the Melbourne Rebels academy.

In 2021, he moved to New South Wales to represent Eastern Suburbs, before being named in the Waratahs squad for 2022.

The athletic centre made his debut for the Super Rugby Pacific side in 2023 against the Hurricanes, making four appearances for the Sydney based side, featuring recently in their recent away win against the Crusaders.

On signing Mosese Tuipulotu, Head Coach Sean Everitt, added: “Edinburgh Rugby has been tracking Mosese’s progress this season and this is a signing that excites us greatly. He is a player that can bring a lot of dynamism and versatility to the side, and we are very pleased the club has been able to make this move happen.

“He’s a young Scottish qualified player with a lot of potential, who we believe will be a good foil for our current stable of centres, so it will be great to see him develop alongside our more experienced centres and our emerging home-grown talent.”