'A bit to go to reach my ceiling' - Scotland skipper Sione Tuipulotu determined to reach potential
Glasgow Warriors centre aiming to hit best form ahead of Rugby World Cup in Australia
Scotland captain Sione Tuipulotu was one of the highest praised players in world rugby following the conclusion of the 2025/26 season.
The centre had just rounded off his country’s inaugural trio of Nations Championship fixtures with a game changing performance off the bench against Fiji. The Six Nations had been a roller coaster and Glasgow’s URC semi-final defeat to the Bulls brought about a disappointing end to such an impressive campaign for the Scotstoun outfit.
At the end of it all, pundits and supporters alike were proclaiming the 29-year-old as one of the best in his position and praising his importance for club and country. However, you won't hear the typically humble Tuipulotu talking about himself in such a way.
“I'm really motivated to try and reach my potential” - Scotland captain believes he can still improve as a player
In fact, quite the opposite. The 2025 British & Irish Lion feels he is still some way off reaching his full potential and is determined to do that as he gets set to return to his native Australia for the 2027 Rugby World Cup next year. Tuipulotu wants to head Down Under in the form of his life and the first step to doing that comes week after week in the URC and Champions Cup with Franco Smith’s Warriors.
He said: “To be honest, I think I've still got quite a bit to go to reach my ceiling and that's what I'm chasing. I think there were parts of last year where I actually probably wasn't at my best.
“If you think about the rugby that I played before I hurt myself in the Lions year, consistently every single week, I thought there were points last year where I wasn't up to that standard, particularly for my club. So this year it's more about me consistently, every single week, putting my hand up for Glasgow and putting myself in the best position to play for Scotland as well.
“That's my focus now and there's a lot in front of me this year, but I'm really motivated to try and reach my potential. I think the summer gave me a lot of motivation and then I've had a good rest period to try and recoup and fix the niggles that I think were bothering me a little bit last year.
“Now I'm just chasing being the best me, and that excites me. Franco's told me before that when I'm playing well I can influence the game every 90 seconds or every 60 seconds, and that's when I’m at my best.
“So some of it's my athletic capability of getting that to the ceiling, but then also matching that with my rugby IQ and decision-making under pressure and all of those things that I like to do. I think there's still a lot of things that frustrate me after a game that I review, and I've still got, in my head, like 40 per cent, 50 per cent still to unravel in my game.”
Tuipulotu started for Warriors in their 33-33 draw with Ulster at Scotstoun on Saturday. It was his first action since the Nations Championship win over Fiji and the centre says he’s feeling good for having had the rest.
“My body felt good, to be honest,” the centre explained after the match. “I've had some good time off, and a good run-in of training to put myself in a good position to play tonight. My body felt really good. Obviously, frustrated with the result but it was good for me to get that 80 minutes under my belt, leading into the rest of the season.
“I've had that good break after the summer away from rugby and then a good lead into my first game. I've done everything right away from the training ground and then when I've come in here I’ve put myself in the best position to play. So that's not my concern, it's more just getting 80 minutes under my belt and then kicking on to the rest of the season.”
Tuipulotu determined to return to Australia in the form of his life for 2027 Rugby World Cup
Although he is currently laser focused on giving his all to Glasgow, the Victoria-born player didn’t shy away from the motivation he gets knowing that the Rugby World Cup will be held in Australia next year. The former Melbourne Rebel wants to return to the country of his birth playing the best rugby of his career to give Scotland the best chance of success.
He said: “It is a motivating factor, just to be honest. But, you know, I remember answering a lot of these questions before the Lions and it was just such a big story about being the Lions year and I can't tell you how much it hurt when I got hurt and I thought it was all done. I've learned a lot from that year and just the energy that I give to things that I can't control down the line.
“What I can control is just coming here every week and trying to contribute to Glasgow. Like I said, when I play my best rugby for Scotland is when I've been on a three, four, five, six-game run of playing lights-out rugby for Glasgow. So that's going to be my focus and I know that's down the line of the World Cup, and it's obvious.
“I don't want to sit here and lie and say I'm not thinking about it, but I've learned a lot, particularly in that Lions year, about thinking too far down the line, because things like that can happen. Just keep focused on what's right in front of me, and now that's Connacht next week.”
Comments
Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.