Second player born in Wales rejects Warren Gatland for England

about his ongoing rivalry with Owen Farrell.

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While not yet a household name, the 17-year-old's trajectory suggests he's destined for greatness, following in the footsteps of his rugby lineage.

Son to former Dragons and Worcester center Sione Tuipulotu, and sibling to Wales international Sisilia, Kepueli's roots run deep in the sport. Currently navigating his final year at the esteemed Harrow School, the young prodigy was also a prised asset within the London Irish academy, renowned for its knack in nurturing top-tier talent across Britain and Ireland.

Recent reports hint at a significant move for Tuipulotu, with speculation swirling that he has inked a deal with Bath RFC. Sources close to the situation, cited by RUCK, suggest that despite his Welsh heritage, Tuipulotu is steadfast in his commitment to donning the red rose over the dragon.

This potential decision mirrors the recent choice of another Wales-born player, Immanuel Fey-Wabaso, who electrified the 2024 Six Nations stage with England. However, Tuipulotu's motivations extend beyond the rugby field, with whispers of a complex personal situation emerging.

Allegedly, Tuipulotu's preference for England stems not only from his burgeoning rugby career but also from the delicate balance he seeks to maintain with his medical studies.

At just 21 years old, Fey-Wabaso, currently making waves with the Exeter Chiefs, juggles a rigorous medicine degree at Exeter University alongside his burgeoning rugby stardom, underscoring the multifaceted nature of these rising talents' aspirations.

As Tuipulotu navigates the crossroads of national allegiance and personal ambition, his trajectory serves as a poignant reminder of the intricate decisions faced by modern-day rugby stars, where the pursuit of excellence transcends the confines of the field.

The Scotland back-rower was the instigator in some tunnel argy-bargy when the players returned to the changing rooms after the warm-up back in 2018 with Farrell at the centre.

Footage of the incident shows all hell breaking loose when Farrell barged his way past a number of Scotland players to confront Wilson, who had been attempting to get inside the head of George Ford.

Remembering the incident, Marler said: "It's become an incredibly hostile rivalry (England and Scotland) and I love it. The niggle goes back to the night in 2018 when Ryan Wilson picked on George Ford in the tunnel.

"Unfortunately, I was plodding back with a belly full of cheese toastie so I was nowhere near to intervene when Wilson started dishing it out in his thick Scottish-Surrey accent."

Wilson later revealed he was banned from Twickenham following the incident.

“I remember that game, I was actually injured and after tunnel-gate, after everything that happened in the tunnel against England, I’d lined up a corporate gig at Twickenham,” he recalled to Rugby Pass in November.

“Had it all lined up, a little bit of cash, all excited, only to get a message back saying the RFU have banned you from Twickenham Stadium after everything that happened the year before."

Former England lock Attwood has opened up on the latest RugbyPass Offload

The Bath lock won the last of his 24 caps for England back in 2016, which could have a lot to do with his relationship with the current England captain.

He revealed: "On the pitch, I struggle a lot with Owen Farrell. We just don’t see eye to eye on a lot of things,

“He hates me with a passion. Despite my earthy roots, he thinks I am a posh c***. He hates that. I bagged rugby league once jovially. I was saying it to take the piss kind of thing, ‘a bloody sport for the peasants’. He f**kin’ hated it."

"He had a bit of a shout at me and went off to the toilet and I followed him.

“We all had a drink or two after the game but we didn’t need to get carried away with this. I was in the urinal behind the door and he was three or four down and as I got in his dad walked in as well, he was coaching at the time. He was, ‘I don’t want to fuckin’ hear it’ or something like that and as he walked out he went to open the door and slam it into the back of me. There was like a stop on the floor so it hit the stop and almost clocked him back…

“We never really addressed it after that. That was where it started and it was like a drunken little bit of argy that went too far. He is an incredibly competitive athlete and he is also very f**kin’ good, he has got high standards. He is a very competitive athlete and in order to be that good, you have to flirt on the wrong side of competitive.

“So whenever we play each other there is always some element in the game where one of us is running at the other one or we are trying to bang each other. There always seems to be an element of that to it. I am sure he is like, I don’t even know that Dave is playing.”

The pair have what we can only describe as a love-hate relationship. As legendary as the 'best mates' videos were during the 2016 tour of Australia, Farrell certainly didn't seem to be enjoying it.

Farrell and De Klerk ended up at arm’s length from each other in 2018 during their summer tour just before the 20-minute mark and the rest of the two sides quickly joined in.

The pair have since clashes on multiple occasions, including during the World Cup final a year later. Klerk is clearly someone who gets under the England skippers skin and their appears to be little love lost between the pair.

Speaking about the pair, Tom Curry said they are 'very different characters'.

This extraordinary feat is as scarce as they come, with only 20 players accomplishing the remarkable three-try milestone since the Championship expanded to six nations in 2000.

Notably, a couple of players have even pulled off this astonishing feat twice, adding an extra layer of prestige to their rugby prowess.

Now, take a moment to rewind and test your memory. Can you recall the names of these exceptional hat-trick heroes?

If you manage a perfect score, you'll undoubtedly be entitled to a celebration on par with the jubilant antics witnessed by some of the stars on this illustrious list.