When the large screen at London’s O2 Arena switched to a live feed from Glasgow on the day of the British & Irish Lions squad reveal earlier this month, an image of the cheerful Sione Tuipulotu appeared almost immediately.

The Scotland captain then began to speak from the heart, emphasising his delight at Lions selection after months of injury turmoil and worry.

At that moment, there was a palpable air of surprise in the room due to Tuipulotu’s Australian accent. It seemed many were unaware of the powerful centre’s origins.

Tuipulotu is not the only 2025 Lion whose journey began in the southern hemisphere.

He, along with fellow Scots Pierre Schoeman and Duhan van der Merwe, as well as the Irishmen Bundee Aki, Jamison Gibson-Park, Mack Hansen, and James Lowe, were all born and began their rugby journeys in countries like Australia, South Africa, or New Zealand.

Their selection by Lions head coach Andy Farrell has attracted criticism in some quarters, mainly from those ignorant both of World Rugby’s eligibility rules and the global world in which we all live in the year 2025. Lions great Willie John McBride was one voice of note.

Scotland captain Sione Tuipulotu can’t wait to tour his homeland with the Lions

Tuipulotu missed the Six Nations with a pectoral injury but is fit again

McBride said he was ‘bothered’ by the selection of those players.

But at the first Lions meet-up in Richmond over the weekend, Tuipulotu, Lowe and Gibson-Park all hit back at the critics, reiterating how much Lions selection has meant to them.

‘I really wanted to be a Lion because I know how much it means to people over here,’ said Tuipulotu, who made his long-awaited return from injury for Glasgow last weekend.

‘I had gone all in with Scotland. I just felt what better way to prove my allegiance to Scotland than go all in and try and make the Lions? That’s why it meant so much to me.

‘In those early days (with Scotland), you have that feeling of “Am I part of this?” I feel like talking is one thing, but showing people how much it means with how I play is another. Of course, you get those feelings you want to prove yourself.

‘The best way to do that is on the field and show your commitment that way.’

Well said.

It will be extra special for Tuipulotu that it is Australia, the country of his birth, who he will face with the Lions.

Sione Tuipulotu (left) with his Greenock-born gran Jacqueline Thomson and brother Mosese

Lions head coach Andy Farrell has selected several players born in the southern hemisphere

Tuipulotu, 28, qualifies for Scotland through his Greenock-born grandmother Jaqueline Thomson, who watched him take on the Wallabies last autumn.

‘When my gran came over before the Australia game, it gave eyes to the public that my story is authentic,’ Tuipulotu said. ‘I’m looking forward to showing how committed I am to the Lions with how I play. I play better when there is a chip on my shoulder.

‘All of that (criticism) just adds to that. I’ve been nothing but embraced by the Scottish public since I’ve been playing for Scotland. There are always going to be a couple of people (critics) like there are for some of the Irish boys, but I take that in my stride.

‘I don’t blame those people. I didn’t grow up dreaming of playing for Scotland or the Lions – that’s the truth. But this is where my path has led me. I’m all in for this Lions team, for Scotland and for Glasgow. I genuinely believe this is where I’m supposed to be.

‘I’ve been led here for a reason.’

Winger James Lowe was born in New Zealand but qualifies for Ireland through residency

Leinster wing Lowe qualified for Ireland under residency rules rather than through a direct relative. Now, he too is a Lion and a fully deserving one at that.

‘When you don’t have the blood running through your veins, there is a little bit of that (criticism),’ Lowe said. ‘When I was first selected for Ireland, all the people come out of the woodwork saying: “How is this person representing Ireland?”

‘I’m sure it was the same for Sione. But the rules are there. We’ve all done our time. I am fully embedded in the culture of Ireland. Sione’s captained Scotland. You don’t have to question where his allegiance lies.’

Born in Nelson, New Zealand, Lowe will become one of just a handful of players to have featured both for and against the Lions this summer. In 2017, he was part of the Mâori All Blacks side who faced the might of Britain and Ireland. Now, he is poised to wear a red shirt.

‘It means so, so much,’ Lowe, 32, said of his new life in Ireland. ‘Leinster and Ireland have given me everything. They’ve made me a lot better as a rugby player, they’ve looked after me physically and they’ve given me time off to get back to New Zealand when I need it.

‘It’s something I’ll forever be grateful for. The boys still slag me for my accent, but we are so well connected in so many ways. 

‘Everyone’s got a different story. My story didn’t start in Ireland. But I can see it ending in Ireland. My two kids were born in Ireland. 

‘My wife and I are super happy with everything Ireland has given us and we don’t see ourselves moving.

‘We’ve got our residency and I don’t think you are going to get rid of us any time soon.’

Like Lowe, scrum-half Gibson-Park was also born in New Zealand but qualified for Ireland on residency.

‘We don’t make the eligibility rules. We’re eligible to play,’ said the man who is likely to be Farrell’s first-choice Lions No 9 in Australia.

‘It’s not something I give a whole lot of thought to. People obviously have their opinions. That’s fine.’

Lowe added: ‘I’ve been fortunate to represent Ireland and I still pinch myself every time I get to wear that jersey. To be recognised and picked (for the Lions) is surreal. My old boy back in Nelson, where I grew up, walks around in Leinster, Ireland and now Lions kit. Everyone thinks: “Who is this crazy old boy in all this kit?” He’s just a proud boy now.’

James Lowe scores for Ireland against Scotland during the Six Nations

Given his other position as Ireland boss, it will be surprising if Farrell doesn’t call heavily on the players he knows well. Gibson-Park and Lowe are two of 15 Irishmen in the 38-man Lions squad. Powerful ball carrier Tuipulotu is also a likely Test starter in the centre.

He missed the Six Nations due to a pectoral injury which put his Lions place in severe doubt, but played 40 minutes in Glasgow’s United Rugby Championship defeat by Leinster last Saturday. The Dublin game was Tuipulotu’s first rugby since January.

‘I was just stoked to get through it,’ he added. ‘I don’t think I’ve been much more nervous before a game than that one because of my injury.

‘It was the first time I was out for that long.’

Tuipulotu described himself as feeling ‘fresh as a daisy’ ahead of the Lions tour and Glasgow’s end-of-season URC run-in.

He added: ‘I was generally really happy playing rugby. I’ve looked around the Glasgow changing room recently and obviously with all the injuries we’ve had, some of the boys have had to play so much rugby. I’ve had three or four months getting my body right.

‘My legs felt amazing. I’m just fresh, mentally as well. I think that’s the most important thing for me. I just feel very eager to contribute. 

‘I feel kind of responsible as well because I’ve been out for four months. I feel like it’s time for me to lift a load now and try and get us over the line again.’

Defending URC champions Glasgow face the Stormers in the first round of the league’s play-off structure. Then will come the Lions in Australia. It promises to be a trip to remember, especially for first-time tourists like Tuipulotu, Lowe and Gibson-Park.

Some may have questioned their selection. But you certainly can’t doubt their commitment.

‘Any athlete coming back from a long-term injury battles doubts,’ Tuipulotu said. ‘Will you be the same player? I felt all those doubts didn’t really matter because I don’t doubt my appetite for the game. I wanted to be in control of whether I got selected or not.

Kiwi-born scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park is expected to start in the Test XV

‘I believed I was doing that up to the point I got hurt. When you get that, I suppose the chance to influence the situation is taken away from you. I just felt it was over for me.

‘I was emotional because I’d been playing the best rugby of my life up until that point and then you get hurt and you feel like it’s all gone.

‘But I believe genuinely in God’s timing and I think maybe this is how my journey was supposed to go. I feel rejuvenated, fresh and ready to go and contribute.

‘And that’s why I speak about divine intervention. That’s what I feel it is. I just feel like it’s not all me. And that’s why I’m just grateful. I just want to grab this opportunity because I’ll never get it again – to go back to Australia and play for the Lions. Now, I feel like I’m in career-best shape mentally and physically and ready to go.’

All 38 Lions players were present at the team’s first camp at various points over the course of Sunday and Monday. Farrell’s squad met as a group for the first time, bonding over coffee.

They also signed Lions jerseys and undertook media, sponsorship and commercial duties. Tuipulotu, Lowe and Gibson-Park all addressed the press.

It felt like the Lions wanted to get the issue of what it must be remembered has been minimal criticism of their selection out of the way and that was a canny move.

Now, all roads lead to Australia once the small matter of domestic titles across Britain and Ireland are sorted out.

This is a tour that can’t come soon enough for many, especially as the last Lions trip to South Africa in 2021 was ruined by the Covid-19 pandemic.

‘I always backed myself that I could have healed fast enough to make myself eligible. With all my injuries in my career, I’ve come back quickly,’ Tuipulotu said.

‘I put that down to a lot of things, maybe my genetics. But also when I’m hurt, I don’t muck around and get my body right. I put it down to my discipline.

‘I’m not happy when I’m not playing rugby. I never had a doubt that I would get my body right and ready to go.’