Will Genia: Why Pete Samu's Bledisloe omission is a 'huge head-scratcher'

Eddie Jones swung the axe in the wake of a winless start to The Rugby Championship. The three victims surprised many, including former Wallaby Will Genia.

Fullback Tom Wright started both of the Wallabies’ opening games but failed to make the Bledisloe Cup squad, as did Reece Hodge after a start against South Africa and Pete Samu after only a brief showing off the bench in that same game.

Samu’s omission took Genia by surprise due to the dynamic loose forward’s skillset being seen as a great addition to what has been an underperforming back row for the Wallabies.

The unconvincing form of Australia’s back row, as well as an injury to Michael Hooper, has seen Rob Valetini be the only player named to start in both Tests to start the Wallabies’ 2023 campaign.

With selection very much up for grabs under new head coach Jones, the 16 minutes of action Samu received before facing the axe was barely a scratch on what the flanker deserved in Genia’s eyes.

“For me, it’s a huge head-scratcher why Pete Samu was left out of the squad,” Genia told the Aotearoa Rugby Pod. “He’s been such a consistently good player for the Wallabies over the last couple of years, granted he’s played a lot of his footy off the bench.

“The way Test rugby is going now, I don’t necessarily think you need a fetcher as much as you did in years gone by, I’d rather have size.

“The thing about it is, you can slow the opposition’s ball down two ways, right? You’ve got David Pocock-style play, you can put pressure on the ball and slow it down or, you can slow it down by winning the collision with bigger bodies; making dominant tackles, flooding the ruck and slowing it that way as opposed to getting someone over the ball.

“I’d much rather go the route of having the bigger bodies, particularly in that back row and slowing the ball down that way.

“I think the All Blacks seem to have got their loose forward trio down and I think we’re still searching at the moment.”

Genia went on to break down the available candidates for the Wallabies’ back row, saying while Michael Hooper had an underwhelming start to his international season, he’ll likely bounce back. Rob Valetini was seen as a success at No 8 and the return of Rob Leota could add the muscle that the No 6 jersey requires.

Genia said for his starting openside flanker, he would in fact have opted for the dropped Pete Samu.

“Just to give him an opportunity,” Genia explained. “Again, someone who enjoys the physical battle, he’s dynamic in the ball carry as well, he creates a lot of opportunity with offloads in that space. I think we’ve got to get that balance right.”