Tuipulotu empire grows in Scotland as Ottavio seals URC move

Scotland captain Sione Tuipulotu will be joined at Glasgow Warriors next season by his younger brother Ottavio, who has signed a two-year deal with the club.

The 21-year-old former Australia U20 international spent last season in the New South Wales Waratahs academy, having moved to Sydney after the Melbourne Rebels went bust in 2024.

Like British & Irish Lion Sione, the hooker is also eligible to represent Scotland through their grandmother, and could well follow in the footsteps of elder brothers Sione and Edinburgh’s Scotland A representative Mosese.

Ottavio will link up with his new club next month when pre-season starts ahead of the new United Rugby Championship season.

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“I’m really looking forward to moving to Glasgow,” Tuipulotu told glasgowwarriors.org.

“I’ve been following the team for the last couple years and have seen how well they’ve been doing, not to mention how much the fans get around the boys.

“I’ve spoken to Nonz [Sione] about Glasgow a lot, and he’s just told me that while it’s different to home – especially being a lot colder than Australia – the culture within the team and within the community in Glasgow is so strong.

“As soon as Glasgow sent me the contract offer, Sione was the first person I called, and he told me to pack my bags and join him up north!

“I spoke to Franco [Smith] earlier in the year, too, mostly just speaking about how I was doing and how my rugby was going, as well as the possibility of moving up to Glasgow. I’m really looking forward to being able to work with Franco and the rest of the staff. I’ve seen how much work they’ve done for the players, and that’s shown on the field when the boys play.

“To be able to play at Scotstoun would be an unreal moment in my life. I’ve seen and heard how electric the fans are with the atmosphere they create, and how much they back our boys – I can’t wait to meet them all!”

Glasgow head coach Franco Smith added: “Tavi is a player that we have been tracking for a while, and we’re pleased that he has decided to follow Sione in making the move north to continue his rugby journey with us.

“He brings dynamism in both attack and defence, as well as a real desire to work hard and learn from both the coaches and the players around him.

“We look forward to working closely with him upon his arrival at Scotstoun, as we continue to build towards the new season.”