Waratahs land big fish with Wallaby Pete Samu's return confirmed

Bordeaux star Pete Samu is coming home to Australian shores later this year, having signed a Super Rugby Pacific deal with the Waratahs.

The 33-year-old played the first of his 33 games for the Wallabies in 2018 after two championships with the Crusaders, having agreed to a deal with the Brumbies to secure his international call-up.

A five-year Brumbies career ended in 2023 with his move to the French giants. That move came in the wake of Samu losing his place in the national set-up under Eddie Jones, shortly after impressing in Dave Rennie’s Wallabies.

Samu’s new deal will see him eligible for Wallabies selection until at least the 2027 Rugby World Cup, offering current coach Joe Schmidt and incoming coach Les Kiss a veteran option in the loose forward mix.

“My family and I are really happy to be coming home.  We’ve enjoyed our time in France, but it’s the right time for us to return to Australia,” Samu said of his return.

“It feels like a full circle moment to come back to Sydney, a place I started my journey to playing professional Rugby, and I’m looking forward to linking back up with Dan and the Waratahs, who I’m confident are heading in a positive direction.

“I’m also highly motivated by the upcoming events in Australian Rugby and will certainly be working hard to give myself the best chance to be part of them and earn another opportunity in the gold jersey.”

Before he can touch down in Sydney, Samu is to be involved in the Champions Cup final this weekend, having started at No. 8 for Bordeaux in their 35-18 semi-final win over reigning champions Toulouse at the start of the month.

Rugby Australia’s Director of High Performance, Peter Horne, said: “Pete is an experienced Test player who has tasted success across multiple teams in multiple countries.

“It’s promising to see players based overseas identify the opportunities coming up on home soil in Australian Rugby, and to have him back in our system is a positive for all involved in the game here.”

NSW Waratahs Head Coach Dan McKellar said: “I worked with Pete for a long time, brought him back to Australia from the Crusaders [to Canberra with the Canberra Vikings in 2018-2019 and ACT Brumbies from 2019-2023].

“He’s a player who brings a real point of difference. He’s an athletic backrower with genuine skill. He can open up a game, and has versatility to cover eight, seven or six.

“He has played the game at Test level and obviously had a very good season with Bordeaux in France.

“He’s going to be a great addition to our group. He is a quiet man, quietly spoken, but talks through his actions. I look forward to working with Pete again.”