Date of birth | 28 September 2001 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Place of birth | Abergavenny, Wales | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 120 kg (19 st; 260 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
School | Sedbergh School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
University | Swansea University | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Carwyn Tuipulotu (born 28 September 2001) is a Welsh rugby union player, currently playing for United Rugby Championship and European Rugby Champions Cup side Scarlets. His preferred position is flanker or number 8. [1]
Tuipulotu was part of the Newcastle Falcons academy, and was part of the Welsh Exiles, leading to a contract with the Scarlets academy. [2]
Tuipulotu was named in the Scarlets first-team squad for the 2020–21 Pro14 season. [3] He was first called into the Scarlets matchday squad for a pre-season friendly against their rivals, the Ospreys, on 25 September 2020, and he did come off the bench. He made his debut in the rearranged Round 8 match of the 2020–21 Pro14 against Leinster. [4] Tuipulotu signed his first professional contract with the Scarlets in February 2021, tying him to the region for the next four years. [2]
Tuipulotu represented Wales U20 in the 2021 Six Nations Under 20s Championship. [5]
On 26 March 2022, Tuipulotu scored his first try for the Scarlets, in a 41–24 win over Zebre. [6] He scored another try in a friendly against the Saracens on 10 March 2023. [7]
Tuipulotu is the son of former Tonga international Katilimoni Tuipulotu, who earned 16 caps between 1994 and 2001, and played in Wales for Ebbw Vale RFC, Dunvant RFC and Neath RFC during his career. Tuipulotu is also a cousin of England internationals Mako and Billy Vunipola, Wales international number 8 Taulupe Faletau and Wales Women’s international Sisilia Tuipulotu. [2]
The family moved to England in 2005, as Kati worked as a player-coach for New Brighton RFC. While in England, Tuipulotu attended Sedbergh School. [2] Tuipulotu studied philosophy at Swansea University. [8]
The Scarlets are one of the four professional Welsh rugby union teams and are based in Llanelli, Wales. Their home ground is the Parc y Scarlets stadium. They play in the United Rugby Championship and in European Professional Club Rugby competitions. The club was originally named the Llanelli Scarlets but was renamed at the start of the 2008–09 rugby season.
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