So much so, he admits that he’s accepted he will not be picked for the Lions series, declaring: “I’m no chance of making that team, because of how I am performing.” Tupou was relegated to the Waratahs bench in his side’s 28-21 defeat against his former Queensland teammates on Friday, coming on in the 50th minute and scoring a try two minutes later. However, the Brisbane Brothers product was kept quiet – managing just one running metre and four tackles, with two misses, while conceding two penalties. Tupou is yet to secure his future beyond the end of his 2025 contract, which poses another possible roadblock to his inclusion in the lucrative series, given coach Joe Schmidt’s confirmation that he would prefer players who were committed to Australian rugby until the 2027 World Cup.