Scotland coach Gregor Townsend has picked ten uncapped players for a tour of the Americas – but former Waratah Mosese Tuipulotu has missed the cut.

Tuipulotu, who recently said he didn’t “get the love” he felt at the Tahs, has decided to change ambitions from a Wallaby gold jersey to the Scottish navy.

He will have to wait though after Townsend opted to let him find his feet at his new club Edinburgh next season before considering him for a debut.

Townsend was involved in negotiations to bring Tuipulotu to Glasgow Warriors last season, a move which would have reunited him with brother Sione – but Mosese opted to stay at the Waratahs.

He found his opportunities limited with the wooden-spoon Super Rugby outfit.

Mosese came through the Melbourne Rebels academy before moving to New South Wales in 2021 to play for Eastern Suburbs in the Shute Shield and the Waratahs in Super Rugby.

“I’ve watched all his games this year at Shield level for Easts and we’re delighted he’s coming to Scotland,” said Townsend on Saturday.

“He’s a Scottish-qualified player who’s been signed by Edinburgh but we feel there is a lot of experience in the centre positions with the players we’ve selected and it’s probably better for Mosese to establish himself at Edinburgh and get the game-time to put pressure on the centres in our squad and also put his hand up for selection in November.”

Along with Sione, the squad other Glasgow centres Huw Jones and Stafford McDowall, and the uncapped Matt Currie who will be a team-mate of Mosese’s at Edinburgh next season.

Chiefs suffer All Black blow

The Chiefs will be without one of All Black hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho for the Super Rugby Pacific final against the Blues next weekend.

He suffered a lower leg injury in the semifinal win over the Hurricanes and although it is not a long term issue, he’s been all but ruled out of the decider at Eden Park.

Taukei’aho was hurt while making a tackle in the first half.

“It’s pretty bad. We might be looking for another hooker. It’s either a calf or an Achilles. I don’t think it’s real [serious] but something went there,” said coach Clayton McMillan.

“He was in position to make the tackle and just walked off the field so that is probably an indication that he wasn’t great.”

Taukei’aho’s replacement Bradley Slater required a head injury assessment, leaving the Chiefs to finish the game without a specialist hooker on the field.

“Brad Slater came on, got a knee injury and needed an HIA. He was in the wars but he managed to soldier on until he got made to go off and we finished with a halfback or a second-five throwing the ball in so there was a fair bit of collateral damage out of this game,” McMillan said.

He added he hoped Shaun Stevenson, a late withdrawal with a hamstring niggle, will recover in time.

“Given the magnitude of the game he didn’t want to compromise the team knowing the back three were going to work extremely hard.

“If he couldn’t give his best, he didn’t want to be the guy who went out there and blew it in the first 10 minutes and we were under the pump.

“It was a massive call from him but the saving grace is we get another week.”

Glasgow stun Munster, Bulls advance in URC

Glasgow Warriors upset champions Munster at Thomond Park to secure a place in the United Rugby Championship final for the first time since 2019.

A late red card to Munster’s Alex Nankivell helped the Warriors across the line in a 17-10 win.

The Warriors will meet the Bulls in Pretoria in the final on Saturday, 22 June after the South African side’s thrilling 25-20 victory over Leinster.

Two tries from Sergeal Petersen and another from Johan Goosen, who contributed 15 points, saw the Bulls through to their second final in three years.

Leinster responded with tries from James Lowe and Caelan Doris, but their bid for a ninth URC title and a first trophy since 2021 fell just short.

A frantic opening failed to produce points as the defensive quality on show matched that of both attacks.

The Bulls were winning the kicking battle and wings Petersen and Devon Williams had chances to score before the hosts did cross after 19 minutes.

Willie Le Roux’s catch and pass in the same movement sent Williams into the corner, but the try was disallowed as Bulls flanker Marco van Staden had taken out Ross Byrne off the ball.

Bulls were reduced to 14 men by Petersen’s deliberate knock-on and Leinster took instant advantage of the yellow card.

The province drove to the line and Byrne slipped a clever pass for wing Lowe to make the corner.

Byrne added the extras for a seven-point lead, but Bulls fought back strongly despite being a man down.

Goosen cut a brilliant line from Embrose Papier’s pass to cross unopposed and the outside-half levelled the scores with a simple conversion.

Bulls remained on top with their full complement restored and the Leinster scrum showed signs of discomfort.

Goosen landed an angled 25-metre penalty to put Bulls ahead 10-7 at the break.

The South African outfit extended their lead within two minutes of the restart as Harold Worster delivered a delightful kick down the touchline.

Petersen gathered to race in and Goosen converted, but Leinster stormed straight back just as it appeared the Bulls would dominate the closing stages at altitude.

Caelan Doris powered over from close range after Leinster had turned down the opportunity to take an easy three points and Byrne added the extras from under the posts.

Leinster levelled matters near the hour mark after a brilliant kick and collect from Lowe forced a Bulls error and a successful Byrne penalty.

Goosen and Byrne exchanged kicks as the see-saw nature of a high-quality contest continued.

There were 13 minutes left when Petersen beat replacement Ciaran Frawley to Papier’s Garryowen.

Petersen touched the ball past Frawley and pulled it down to race clear, and Leinster could not rescue the situation in a pulsating finish.

Whitelock once more with feeling

All Blacks great Sam Whitelock is set to return to the international arena for a final time, when he runs out for the Barbarians against Fiji.

The 35-year-old lock, who holds the All Blacks caps record with 153, played his final club game for Pau in the Top 14 last week, scoring with his final play.

“I’ve always wanted to represent the Barbarians, so I am delighted that now I have the opportunity to do it,” he said.

“I can’t wait to experience a week with the BaaBaas, and it’s very exciting for me to be doing something for the first time after such a long career in rugby so far.

“The Barbarians is a select group; you have to be invited to play, and to get that invitation now is very humbling.

“I’m looking forward to getting to know a few of the guys I have played against throughout my career. Spending a week with the group will be special – it’s always great to get to know different people, different cultures and different ways of doing things, with the backdrop of an important match at the end of the week.

“The Barbarians play a fantastic style of rugby as well, they’re never afraid to try a few things and I am sure it will be the same again this time around.”