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Crusaders flanker Pete Samu has been cleared to play for the Wallabies after Rugby Australia and New Zealand Rugby come to terms.
Samu is set to join his new Australian teammates when they assemble in Brisbane on Sunday ahead of their three-Test series against Ireland.
Rugby Australia CEO Raelene Castle said Melbourne-born Samu had been released for a potential Test debut.
“I want to thank New Zealand Rugby for their consideration in releasing Peter for international duties,” Castle said.
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“Our discussions were robust but fair and I’m pleased we’ve reached an agreement to allow Peter the opportunity to represent his country.”
“We are pleased to have resolved this matter and can confirm that Pete is free to assemble with the Australian team,” NZR Head of Professional Rugby Chris Lendrum said.
“Both Unions have also reached an agreement that will allow Pete to exit his current contract with the Tasman Mako, where he has played for the past four seasons.
“Tasman Rugby Union have given their blessing for Pete to pursue his international rugby aspirations, and will now have certainty ahead of their Mitre 10 Cup season.”
Castle and New Zealand Rugby remained guarded in terms of disclosing whether Rugby Australia had paid to obtain Samu’s services after New Zealand Rugby reportedly asked for compensation of $50,000 for his New Zealand provincial side Tasman.
It was announced earlier that the 26-year-old flanker will join the Canberra-based Brumbies in Super Rugby next season.
He will also forgo his final season with Tasman and will link up with the Canberra Vikings in Australia’s National Rugby Championship.
Earlier, Wallaby greats George Gregan and Stephen Hoiles expressed their thoughts on the Samu saga.
“I think if Pete Samu was New Zealand born, New Zealand raised, then it would be fair for them to say we need to be compensated,” Hoiles said of his former Randwick teammate on Fox Sports Australia.
“But Pete Samu is born and raised in Melbourne, he’s played all of his club rugby in Brisbane, Sydney or Melbourne. He’s an Australian, he wants to play for Australia.
“You hear all this stuff about we need to see Australian rugby strong again – well this is their chance to try and help us.”
“Without doubt it’s tacky.”
Gregan shared Hoiles’ sentiment, stating “you’re actually denying a player from doing the ultimate in his sport, which is representing his country, the Wallabies.”
“They’ve passed up on the opportunity to make him play for the All Blacks, they said ‘no, he’s not in our top 30 plus players.
“But there’s a real opportunity for him to play international rugby here in this country, he played all his rugby here.”
Unfortunately, while Samu joins the Wallabies they will be without another player as Melbourne Rebels hooker Jordan Uelese returns to Melbourne Sunday after suffering a suspected ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) against the Blues last night.
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The 21-year old will have further scans on his left knee in Melbourne this week with a replacement player for the Wallabies squad will be confirmed Monday.
In other news:
Comments on RugbyPass
Wasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
3 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
3 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
3 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
30 Go to comments