Radike Samo won the Super 12 with the Brumbies in 2001 and 2004, as well as the most recent Super Rugby competition with the Queensland Reds.
He had a bit of a chance at number 7 for the Wallabies in 2004, when he was replacing the great George Smith.
Despite this, Samo was wreaking havoc in the second row for the Brumbies, with the strength of a lock, but the pace and handling skills of a winger.
As well as this, he is, by all accounts, a good bloke, and his hair is second to none.
Following 2004, he left Australia for a successful career in France and England. I’m sure that he had his reasons for this, but imagine what the Wallabies would have been like had he stuck around?
He was good enough to start most of the Tri Nations matches in 2011, so it makes sense to think that he was good enough to do this when he was playing overseas. I can’t help but feel that the years of 2005 -2011 would have been better with a Samo in the side.
Surely, in his prime, he was a better option than for second row than, for example, Mark Chisolm, a man with 50 Wallabies caps; certainly a better player than the overhyped Wycliff Palu, or other players of around that era like Hoiles, Fava or Lyons.
It’s a shame he has only a dozen Wallaby caps when, with a bit of extra love, he could have been a solid part of the squad for the last seven years.
As it is, he’ll have to live with a Tri Nations winners medal, winner of both Super 12 and Super 15 competitions, French Championships and a ‘Try of The Year’ for his pelt through Kiwis last year.
It could be worse, I suppose.
Kuruki
Roar Guru
In terms of physicality and speed islanders mature allot faster then others not slower.
Kuruki
Roar Guru
It only becomes disgraceful when a player is picked because of dual eligibility when one nation wants to secure them from the other whereas had it not been for the second nation sniffing around they would not have been chosen at that particular time.
chuntsah
Guest
Please, please stop this talk of Timani as a Wallaby. He seriously has tits for hands. You must think of the Samoa match. If you like knock-ons, then pick him. If not, let's stick with real options that we have and wait to see whether he can repair this - vital - part of his game. I know he plays for NSW now, but Wallaby talk is way premature.
kingplaymaker
Roar Guru
Perhaps opposition players will try the Chris Ashton trick on Tuilagi this week to destroy his powers then :-)
Sharminator
Roar Rookie
agree that you cant call it "disgraceful". Samo was selected in the Fijian squad, and told by Eddia Jones that he would also be in the Aussie squad ... based on that information HE (SAMO) made a choice. He decided he would rather play for the Wallabies than Fiji. It was a personal choice. It is true that if he decided to play for Fiji he would have played many more tests, but it is also true that it was his choice to quit Australia and move to Europe to play for Stade Francais, rather tha staying in Australian and continuing to be available for the Wallabies. Life is about choices and Samo, not the Wallabies, made a choice. Nothing disgraceful in it.
Sharminator
Roar Rookie
Yep .. as I remember he was actually selected by Fiji to be in their squad .. then rung up by Eddie Jones to tell him to reject Fiji because he would be in the Aussie squad. Although this year he has been blockbusting .. he had little impact back then which is why he left at the end of thje following year.
granville
Guest
Dear Santa...........can u please give QC the gift of tackling and the gift to remain calm under pressure...............and also give our forward pack a free membership to there local gym....thank you very much and Merry Xmas Santa.
Mike
Guest
Inglis or Hayne would be great but if they did cross codes, they would surely do a Gasnier - go to the south of France on very good money, play provincial rugby, and tour wineries and sun themselves on the Riviera between games. It would be a couple of years before you saw them, and they might just collect their fat pay cheques and go back to league! Still, they might just come back and push for Wallaby selection - its cool to be dual-capped!
granville
Guest
we should start developing Aussie home grown players instead of recruiting overseas players, kick Lipman out and get Saffy at #7, kick Delve out and keep faith with Leroy Houston at #8 and use the backline combo [Melb Rebels] of JOC at #10, Mortlock at #12, Johannson at #13, Lachie Mitchell at #11, Mark Gerrard at #14 and Beale at #15, i hope Cameron Shepherd/Peter Hyne can overcome there injury curse, with a heavy test schedule next year Deans should rotate his backline players wisely to prevent burntout and injuries, we may have the skills/speed and x factor but our backline seriously needs some bulk, we need a bulldozing inside center/outside center, i wish the league center converts can impress everyone and hope to see Winston Stanley do some damage for the Force, he's a Brizzy born so hopefully that qualifies him for the Wallabies, what can the ARU do to recruit someone like Greg Inglis and Jarryd Hayne to takeover our midfield combination, please Santa thats all i want for the next 4 Xmases.........
Johnno
Guest
jesnzez I can live with that team , fair team you put on the park, and I'll leave it there mate.
jeznez
Roar Guru
and to redo that list: 1. Bruce 2. Bruce 3, Jones 4. Bruce 5. Jones 6. Bueller 7. Bruce 8. Bueller 9. Bruce or Jones 10. Bruce 11. Bruce 12. Jones 13. Bueller 14. Jones 15. Bruce
jeznez
Roar Guru
Mike, I noticed that as I wrote it. Was surprised Evans didn't manage to turn up at all!
Mike
Guest
When you think a Welsh player is best just write "Jones". You'll be right more often than not.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Jonno if I try a head to head in all honesty then it would probably be something like: 1. Robinson 2. Moore 3. Jones 4. Horwill 5. Jones 6. Kaino 7. Pocock 8. Read 9. Too close to call 10. O'Connor 11. Mitchell 12. Roberts 13. Smith 14. North 15. Beale Where I think there is no outstanding candidate I have named an All Black - hope that is ok
Johnno
Guest
So do you rate jennies say JOC/Ioane higher than George North Jenez , and say Samo over Faletau, and barnes over rhys priestland, and horwill/vicks/timani over wales 2 starting locks.
Johnno
Guest
Yes thanks Mike i also forgot to add BRITISH LION lee Bryne, and of course that quality no 8 Gareth Delve form the Melbourne rebels who was unlucky to miss out in the RWC squad wallaby would love A MAN LIEK Delve over mcelman anyday, but after seeing Faletau i can see why Gatland picked Falatau , i think he will be best no 8 over next 4 years a real brad clyde/nathan hindmarshstyle to him, just a workaholic with a lot of endurance and petrol. Your right Wales need to get it together and on the Cant agree with you Mike on Pocock Mcgaw had a pretty good game. But Wales need to get it together on the day had France's measure most likely then Warburton's brain snap cost them dearly. Wales have 2 great props but lack depth after those 2 and 2 great locks but lacks depth after that 2, so depth issues in a few key positions, but there 1st choice are top class. Here is an article i found on of the locks, from Wales. And Dusatoir wow what a star what every team in world rugby would do and would love a man like that in your team, give him the wallaby captaincy and keys to the city right away if he wanted to be a Wallaby. http://www.walesonline.co.uk/rugbynation/rugby-news/2011/12/07/dragons-star-luke-charteris-faces-big-decision-on-future-as-big-money-offers-pour-in-91466-29908197/
jeznez
Roar Guru
ps if you are allowed to consider injured players in your rundown then Robinson should not be overlooked
jeznez
Roar Guru
Johnno - you are wrong. Reverse all those comparisons we are heaps better except for probably Roberts and Phillips (who is a line ball with Genia). Maybe not heaps but at least a little, we did beat these blokes the last three times we played. You can play the not a big match card once but when you go to their home ground for the farewell of one of their greats and they have played a lot less rugby this year than you as they are gearing up for their season while we wind down then you don't get to say they didn't really want it and say it didn't matter. I am intensely proud of the boys for winning a game that they could easily have dropped. Stop selling them short - the Samoa game was a bad loss and this was a good win - criticise and praise in the correct places, please.
Mike
Guest
Johnno, I mostly agree with your man-on-man comparison. Remember though that Wales have lost every game they have recently played against Australia. I was reading somewhere that they have lost 15 out of their last 16 matches against SH teams. I am not knocking Wales – I think they are a great team that hasn't quite it got together, but probably will soon. But I am just saying man-on-man comparison is of limited use in predicting who will win a test. I have a couple of nit-picks: "Rhys priestland: Quade cooper/ JOC/barnes: Preistland again wins hand down" I've got plenty of respect for priestland, but I think this is overdoing it a little. "NO 7 Pocock/Waterburn: draw but I would still pick waterborne ahead pock had big Q/F as Brussow was off macaw owned pock in semi final." I don't agree that "McCaw owned Pocock". If anything, I think Pocock had the edge in the semi, particularly with his team fragmenting around him. And if we are really going to take everything into account, you can't ignore Warburton's brain-snap in the QF that effectively lost his team the cup. I am not too worried because overall I see little to choose between any of the top No 7s: McCaw, Pocock, Warburton, Brussow, Dusatoir. I think I agree with all your others.
Johnno
Guest
jezenz I was tempted to after our World cup disaster. Coz it was a kiwi Deans running the show i'd thought id take a stand and blame New Zealand, but with pleasure handing in my passport the way the current Wallabies are doing, and our even more pathetic Wallaby coaching staff. Give me a NZ or welsh or even French passport over an Australian 1 right now , with our tactually inept World cup. And also we got points against a 14 man welsh side for 10 mintues, and 3rd place matches mean nothing or 1 off test money spinners, this even if SWilliams last game hardly World cup sudden death finals matches. And boy did we limply surrender to the AB'S , awful the weak intensity of that match right form the kick of by none other than Quade Cooper. So you jesnez say Wallabies mate are better than Wales lets look at some of the Man to Man match ups. Jamie Roberts: mcabe/joc/barnes: roberts wins hands down . George North/Swilliams: Turner/ioane/mitchell: North is best out of them all Ioane 2nd Rhys priestland: Quade cooper/ JOC/barnes: Preistland again wins hand down Mike phillips/will genia: Mike Phillips easy british lion: genia is not in mike phillips league at all, Phillips has got the better of FDPrueez before. NO 8: Toby Faletau/Samo/mcelman: Toby Felatau easy that young man was like Brad clyde/nathan hindmarsh in the RWC 2011. No 6: Dan Lydaite/ elsom/higgers. Dan Lydaite wins that to NO 7 Pocock/Waterburn: draw but I would still pick waterborne ahead pock had big Q/F as Brussow was off macaw owned pock in semi final. Locks: Alan Wyn Jones/Luke Charteris Horwill/Vickerman. Close but the welsh locks are better. Wyne jONES a lion/Chareris even bigger than Vicks 6'9 massive work rate to in the world cup. ANd the props: Wales 2 best VS our 2 best Alexander/slipper/kepu : 2 lions props no contest And hookers: Matt rees/Steve moore/TPN all about the same all old class. So wales best 15 is better i think just wales lack depth when injuries to the set 15. Wallabies have more depth in forwards but wales best 8 beats our best 8 i think ANd Halfpeeny/hook/henson are all as good as Beale/AAC