Edinburgh: When Isaac Kailea was growing up in suburban Melbourne, playing bruising games of backyard footy with his brothers and “cousins”, the common goal was to grow up and play for the Wallabies.
Remarkably, at least two of the backyard crew did go on to play Test rugby – and another two are on track to make it, as well.
But Kailea was the only one to fulfil the original dream of doing it for the Wallabies. His backyard rival turned rugby role model, Sione Tuipulotu, did it for Scotland, and the pair will face off for a second time at Murrayfield on Monday morning (AEDT).
Tuipulotu’s younger brothers Mosese and Ottavio – who both played for the Waratahs – are now also playing professionally in Scotland, and both are tipped as good chances to follow in Sione’s footsteps one day.
“I grew up with him and his younger brothers as well. We pretty much just call each other cousins, I call his dad my uncle,” Kailea said. “Our dads met in Melbourne, they’re both of Tongan heritage, and there’s a couple other families there, all Tongan as well, that we all grew up with.
“So a lot of boys and a lot of a lot of pretty rough games in the backyard. But he [Sione] was always sort of the leader amongst the kids. He was the oldest.
“We never played a proper organised match together, but we played a couple of times in the backyard, and he used to run amok. He’d smash us.”
Tuipulotu progressed up the ranks in Victorian junior rugby, played a record three years for the Junior Wallabies and eventually became the first homegrown player to debut for the Melbourne Rebels in 2016.
But after struggling to get game time at the Rebels, Tuipulotu moved to Japan, and then with Scottish heritage through his grandmother, the fiery centre moved to Glasgow in Scotland. He debuted for the Scots in 2021 and was made captain in 2024.
“It started at the Rebels, and all my younger cousins and myself as well, we really wanted to follow in his footsteps, Kailea said.
“He was a really good role model for all of us. Obviously, it was a bit tough for him in Australia, and he went on his own little journey, through Japan, and now he’s ended up in Scotland. And now his brothers are over here as well, chasing the dream. So it’s pretty crazy, to be honest.
“I’ve met his nan before. She’s still got a pretty thick Scottish accent, so yeah, I wasn’t I wasn’t too surprised when I found out that he was going to Scotland. I knew he always had that connection.
“In Melbourne … there’s some unreal players that I don’t think ever really get recognized, and for him to sort of move out of Australia and get recognized is really good.”
Kailea debuted for the Rebels in 2021, and moved to NSW after the Melbourne club was shut down in 2024. The 125kg prop made his debut for the Wallabies in 2024, and even played against Sione on the spring tour later that year.
“I sort of had that one circled. I said, ‘I’d really love to play in that game’,” Kailea said.
“He can be pretty lippy on the field, just as he is off it. So, yeah, he was throwing a bit of chat, but nothing too crazy. I don’t think he’d get too disrespectful.
“He’s probably one of the most competitive people I know, so when he puts on that Scottish jersey, no matter who he’s playing, he’s going to give it 100 per cent. Whether he goes extra hard because we’re Australia, I couldn’t say. I just know he’s always putting in that effort.”
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Iain Payten is a senior sports reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via X or email.From our partners
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