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Wales Online
Wales Online
Sport
Sam Feierabend

Welsh rugby has a humble new superstar emerging and she's from a famous rugby family

She's Welsh rugby's new superstar in the making and was Wales' best player in their thumping 31-5 Women's Six Nations win over at the weekend - which marked her first Test start at tighthead prop just a year after making her debut off the bench in the same fixture bu in a different position.

Powerhouse prop Sisilia Tuipulotu, 19, is one of 25 Wales Women players to be awarded full-time WRU contracts for this year, and seems to be flourishing under a professional regime.

It's hardly a surprise when you consider her dad Sione played for Tonga and Newport, while she also counts Wales centurion Taulupe Faletau, England duo Mako and Billy Vunipola and Scarlets back-rower Carwyn Tuipulotu among her cousins.

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The Irish could not cope with the Gloucester-Hartpury forward's power at scrum time, while Tuipulotu scored Wales' fifth try of the afternoon just moments after having another score chalked off. She missed just one tackle and made nine carries, the most of anyone in her team.

The scary thing? She will only get better, with Wales head coach Ioan Cunningham tipping her to be world-class once she masters the technicalities of the position. “I genuinely believe she can be one of the best props in the world,” Cunningham said. “She really showed what she can do."

“I cannot explain how I felt, I’m just grateful that I got to play and to help my team to get the win,” Tuipulotu said on her performance.

"The best part was scoring that try. I had one disallowed so that made me hungry to get another one.

“It was good to see so many people supporting us, especially as it was the most people who have ever attended. It was class to see.”

The former lock gave a humble post-match interview on live TV where she thanked God, before celebrating with her family.

“They [the family] were all so proud. They were proud that I played the way that I did,” said Tuipulotu.

“There were over 20 of them there! Billy [Vunipola] messaged me before the game saying, ‘keep going, I'm so proud of you’. To be fair they all messaged me at some point!”

Despite the crowd flooding onto the pitch after the win at Cardiff Arms Park, Tuipulotu insisted on finding her family first. “I managed to find my mum and auntie first and then I gradually made my way to everyone else.”

Much like the Vunipolas, Sisilia's brother Kepu could have a choice to make about whether he pledges his allegiance to Wales, where he was raised, or England, for whom he has just been called up to represent their U18s side. Kepu was named among the replacements for England against wales last weekend, with the English team winning 62-7 in Swansea. He was a centre at school level and in his first competitive game of rugby scored a hat-trick for Pontypool Schools.

When asked what made her choose Wales over England, the Wales Women star said: “Wales has always been in my heart.”

While her shy disposition means she's not one to exactly shout about her progress, her teammates are more than happy to do it for her.

“It’s amazing that people are finally seeing what she can do,” said veteran back-row Sioned Harries. “On Saturday she grabbed her chance with both hands. She really will be world-class.”

Sisilia Tuipulotu of Wales charges forward (Huw Evans Picture Agency Ltd)

Tuipulotu added: “I’m just taking every step as it comes. I’m grateful for the opportunities I get and I’m still learning every day. I’m grateful that people think I can [be world-class] and that makes me push even harder to get that aim and aim to be the best prop I can be.”

Perhaps the most startling fact of her meteoric rise to stardom is that she has only been playing rugby for three years. She switched from netball to rugby while at Hereford Sixth Form College after being invited to play rugby by a coach there.

Tuipulotu has previously told WalesOnline that she was not allowed to play rugby at a young age due to the physicality of the sport and her family not wanting her to get hurt.

“When I turned 16 I went against that decision and they’ve supported me ever since – I think I’m a lion!”

Amongst the stardom and praise, it is easy to forget that she is still studying psychology at University of Gloucestershire, alongside playing for Gloucester-Hartpury in the Prem 15s, England’s top division of women’s rugby.

She tells any Welsh girls with the dream of playing for the national team to “just keep playing rugby wherever you are.”

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