Sisilia Tuipulotu Targets Lions Tour After Two-Try Wales Display
Wales prop Sisilia Tuipulotu says selection for the inaugural British and Irish Lions women’s tour to New Zealand sits among her top priorities, after she scored twice in Wales’ 50-19 win over South Africa on Friday.
The victory came under the watch of Lions head coach Jo Yapp, and Tuipulotu has made clear where her ambitions now lie.
“It’s probably number one on my goal list right now, to perform the best I can to put my hand up for a spot on that team,” she said.
Jo Yapp Watches Wales Prop Score Twice in South Africa Victory
Yapp’s presence at the game added extra weight to a strong personal performance from the Harlequins prop. Tuipulotu did not know the Lions coach was watching until full time.
“I actually didn’t know she [Yapp] was there until after the game, but I’m very happy that we gave the performance that we did in front of her,” she said.
Former Wales centre Jonathan Davies described her display as “world class” in BBC Sport punditry commentary. It is a strong endorsement from a respected voice in the Welsh game, though the selection call still rests with Yapp and her coaching group ahead of the squad announcement in May.
For Tuipulotu, Friday’s performance also marked a personal turning point after a difficult spell.
“In the last year I’ve come back from injury, but I haven’t played the rugby that I wanted to play, so I’m happy with how Friday went,” she said.
Harlequins Move and Fitness Underpin Welsh Front-Row Impact
Tuipulotu joined Harlequins from Gloucester-Hartpury during the summer, a switch that appears to have sharpened her physical output at exactly the right moment. Six weeks of pre-season training at her new club have left her in good shape heading into the autumn programme.
“This is probably the best place where I could be physically,” she said.
That condition showed against South Africa, where her two tries formed part of a dominant Welsh forward display. It is the kind of front-row impact Wales have needed, and one Yapp will have noted closely from the stands. Readers can catch up on the wider picture around the squad in our earlier report on the Welsh camp.
USA Test at Cardiff Arms Park Precedes May Lions Selection
Wales now turn to the United States, who visit Cardiff Arms Park on Saturday, 26 September at 15:00 BST. USA are ranked sixth in the world, well above Wales at 11th, setting up a stern examination of the momentum built against South Africa.
Tuipulotu is relishing the challenge rather than fearing the ranking gap.
“We’ll go into this game confident,” she said. “We’re going into this game with a win in hand, but to back it up even more will just give us that fire in our bellies to go out and perform.”
She also has an eye on the atmosphere Wales can generate at home, with performances like Friday’s seen as the way to grow the support base around the squad.
“If we just carry on playing the way we do and improve every week, then hopefully we get the crowd there too,” she said.
The British and Irish Lions women’s squad for the New Zealand tour is due to be named in May, giving Tuipulotu and her Wales teammates a clear run of matches to press their case. Full detail on her post-match thinking can be found in her BBC Sport interview. Saturday’s test against the USA offers the next opportunity to show Yapp exactly what she can bring to the tour party.
