Skyscanner surprises Scotland rugby captain by flying in his Aussie grandma – Travel Weekly

Skyscanner has surprised Scotland Rugby captain Sione Tuipulotu after the travel app flew his Australian-based grandmother over to watch he and his brother play, a feat she thought was impossible.

Tuipulotu and brother Mosese believed their 77-year-old Scotland-born grandmother, Jaqueline Thomson, would never be able to watch them play in her home country, which is the reason they are able to play for the country.

But the travel app had other ideas and secretly planned the surprise with Jaqueline to ensure she was able
to travel over 15,000km on the eve of this weekend’s games against Chile and Australia to see the pair play for the national side.

Tuipulotu believed his grandmother would never be able to see him play rugby at Murrayfield due to her age and health, however, with Skyscanner and Scottish Rugby’s help Thomson was able to fly ‘home’ for the first time in 12 years and surprise her grandsons on the eve of this weekend’s games against Chile and Australia.

There were emotional scenes as Sione and Mosese’s ‘Greenock granny’ then surprised her grandsons in the home-team dressing room.

Thomson now lives in Australia but is originally from Greenock on Scotland’s west coast. She has been delighting fans online, replying to messages and revealing in her grandson’s captaincy. Those fans may now be able to spot the Greenock gran cheering in the crowd at the weekend’s Scotland A match against Chile on Saturday before Scotland take on Australia on Sunday.

“I came into Murrayfield thinking I was doing a promo for Skyscanner and then my Gran is sitting there! It caught me off guard,” Sione said. “It’s not something I thought would be possible.

“I’m over the moon and feeling so happy about everything. Mosese has always been my gran’s
favourite, and it’s so cool she will get to see the two of us play this week.

“I’m really looking forward to running out in front of a packed-out stadium and then looking up into the
stands during the anthems to see my Mum and Gran. It’ll be so special.

“My Gran is such a character and is probably where we get most of our personality from. I’m so happy that everyone will get to meet her and put a face to everything. I’m so grateful to Skyscanner for organising everything. I’d given up hope of my Gran coming to see my play in Scotland so for it now to be a reality is just unbelievable.”

Thomson said: “I’ve had such an amazing week. It’s been incredible to have Skyscanner fly me back home and surprise the boys. They were both so stunned.

“I’m excited for this weekend – getting to watch my grandsons play for Scotland and sing Flower of
Scotland with them will be so special.”

Added Skyscanner’s global head of brand & creative, Andre Le Masurier: “You’ll be hard pushed on Sunday to find anyone who’s travelled further to see the Scotland team play. We’re huge fans of Sione and his brother Mosese and it has been our immense privilege to reunite them with their gran for the Autumn Nations.”

Sione shows his grandmother around the Murrayfield pitch after her surprise visit. Photo: Ross MacDonald / SNS Group