Samu looms as Wallaby trump
JUNE SPOTLIGHT: Tolu Latu has answered Australia’s SOS, to shore up the dwindling hooker stocks, but it is a Kiwi ‘import’ that looms as the Wallabies’ trump against Australia.
The Waratahs hooker, Latu, has been added to Michael Cheika’s Wallabies squad for the three-Test series against Ireland – starting in Brisbane on Saturday.
Latu has played four times for Australia and completes the 33-man squad – following the withdrawal of Rebels hooker Jordan Uelese, after confirmation of his anterior cruciate ligament injury.
“Right now he’s our most-capped hooker in Australia,” the Wallaby coach, Cheika, said, adding: “He’s got that little bit of experience playing in the big match atmosphere.
“Anaru Rangi has had a really good season with Melbourne too, so he’s definitely not out of the equation.
“I’m just keen for the two uncapped hookers (Paenga-Amosa and Fainga’a) to have a little experience around.”
However, the focus is on loose forward – to see if Pete Samu will make the cut when the Wallabies announce their team on Thursday.
Former Wallaby wing Digby Ioane has slammed Cheika for ‘missing’ on Samu, when he was playing in Australia.
The blindside flank moved to New Zealand and played his way into the Tasman side, before making the Crusaders.
“So happy to see #Samu making the Wallabies. It’s a real shame tho Michael Cheika didn’t see Peter Samu potential when he was playing in Australia. #Grassroots,” Ioane tweeted.
Samu was expected to remain in New Zealand for life, after he made the call to leave Sydney and move to Nelson.
“Things have turned out different and I’m here now and I’m excited,” he told rugby.com.au.
“I’m really excited for the new challenge. It’s going to be quite tough to leave the Crusaders with what they’ve done for me and the way they’ve been going.
“When I made the decision to go over there I never thought I’d be back.”
“I’m still coming to terms with it actually, it’s always the dream to represent your country,” he said.
As a 19-year-old he played reserve grade for Sunnybank in the Brisbane club competition in 2011.
Future Reds back row forwards Liam Gill and Jake Shatz held the first grade loose forward positions.
He then moved to Sydney to play for Randwick, the club that Michael Cheika coached before being offered an opportunity to coach professionally at Leinster.
Samu was a part of the 2013 wider training squad for the Waratahs, where Cheika had a first-hand look at the Melbourne product – but no contract came forward.
He has now come full circle, after being released by NZRU to play for the Wallabies in the upcoming test series against Ireland.
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