Michael Cheika was never going to lose the battle for Peter Samu.
But the Wallaby coach didn’t want to rock the boat by naming the 26-year-old flanker in the squad to meet Ireland in three Tests this month, until New Zealand Rugby cleared him from the Crusaders.
Samu is a rugby globetrotter – has passport, will travel.
Born and raised in Melbourne, he’s an Australian citizen who just happened to end up in Kiwiland via Randwick, and club rugby in England.
The New Zealand Rugby Union rate him an All Black contender due to residency, and he’s on the Crusaders’ roster. But that’s rubbish – Samu is a bench selection at best for the Crusaders, with Kieran Reid and Matt Todd obvious first choices.
Besides, Rugby Australia released prop Tyrel Lomax from the Rebels last year earlier than anticipated to play with the Highlanders.
Yesterday, the NZRU gave Rugby Australia an ultimatum to secure Samu’s release, which is short on public content, but appears to be around cold, hard cash.
Really? Asking for money to release an Australian citizen to play for Australia?
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As I said, Cheika was never going to lose this one, and Samu will play against Ireland, in the backrow with Michael Hooper and David Pocock.
But the Kiwis can hang their head in shame – they have never sunk so low. That’s not their bag, they are better than that.
There’s a question mark over another Cheika battle.
He wants the Brumbies to rest David Pocock, Allan Ala’alatoa and Scott Sio from the Super Rugby clash with Sunwolves on Sunday, but the ACT hierarchy aren’t budging, despite the fact they are way out of contention to win the Australian conference, 11 points adrift of the Waratahs.
The powers that be reckon if the crowds don’t improve at home, the Brumbies will be in danger of going under.
Really? In the same breath they say if 15,000 turn up on Sunday, the club will donate $5000 each to three charities. Going under?
The Brumbies have always been different to other Australian franchises, especially with coaches.
Two of them – David Nucifora in 2004, and Andy Friend in 2011 – were sacked by insidious player-power, the lowest form of club life.
So, for once Brumbies, stop thinking of yourselves and do something for the greater good, and rest the trio.
The Cheika way surfaced again at the naming of the 32-man squad.
Waxing lyrical over the three hookers selected generated a smile as Cheika named Jordan Uelese, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, and Folau Fainga’a, who between them have played 35 minutes of international rugby.
Whoever wears the No.2 jersey for the June 9 kick off at Suncorp will be up against the Irish skipper Rory Best, with 111 caps on his belt – one mighty tough hombre.
Rory Best of Ireland celebrates with The Six Nations Trophy (Photo by Lynne Cameron/Getty Images)
Uelese has the 35 minutes on his belt, but Paenga-Amosa is the more interesting selection. He boasts a hefty physique of 183 cm and 117 kgs, and will be a handful on the burst. The 22-year-old’s switch from garbo to Wallaby status proves he’s someone special.
All up, this squad has an exciting mixture of experience with raw talent, and this series will be the perfect litmus test as to where Wallaby rugby is heading.
The men in gold have won four of their last six internationals, with success against Argentina, the All Blacks, Japan, and Wales, losing to England and Scotland. That’s a 67 per cent success rate – better than Cheika’s career rate of 53 per cent over 45 Tests.
Joe Schmidt’s Ireland have won their last 12 internationals, including the Grand Slam and Triple Crown for only the third time since 1883.
Schmidt’s career coaching the men in green has been over 57 Tests, with a 74 per cent success rate – he thrives on winning.
Which makes the heading totally correct – rugby the Cheika way is never dull.
Lukas
Roar Pro
You've got to wonder why they picked the Sunwolves game of all games for the promotion though? Are things that desperate? The fan whose been following Super Rugby closely would know that the Sunwolves are probably a good bet for a fun game to watch, but for the casual fan? Sun who? The conversation should never have come down to where the Brumbies are travelling on the points table, or last minute promotions. It should have been agreed to as soon as the SR draw and Ireland tour schedule were known. Fortunately, this is the last SR interrupting June series. But all this being said. It certainly does show something crazy at the core of rugby in Australia. In NZ, even if there was a last minute decision made from ABs, they'd get their way. There'd be grumbling from the clubs, and that's all. I'd argue it probably should have gone this way in this instance too, even if I'm not going to be vitriolic about it, as David Lord is paid to be!
concerned supporter
Guest
TWAS, Blacktown is not basically next to Parramatta, it is part of Penrith Junior Rugby League, not Parramatta. 1/ Blacktown Bears JRLC 13 Teams 2/ Blacktown Workers Junior RL 12 Teams Both Blacktown Clubs are in Penrith JL NOT Parramatta. Refer http://websites.sportstg.com/assoc_page.cgi?c=7-91-0-0-0&a=CLUBS Penrith Emus have a skinny junior club set up, they shouldn't, Nil assistance or concessions from your mates, the all powerful Friends of Sydney University Football Club, Most good NSW & Australian Schoolboys are recruited to Sydney Uni Colts. With the recent cocaine busts of K.Hunt & J.Slipper, the NSWRU CEO Andrew Hore should regret saying his elitist comments, remember? Elitism, Elitism and more displays of Rugby Elitism. Page 74 of today’s Daily/Sunday Telegraph-14 May 2017 “RUGBY MAKES YOU A BETTER PERSON: HORE.” Extracts, “As rugby league reels from its cocaine crisis, Waratahs boss Andrew Hore has made a bold stand for struggling rugby union by declaring the 15 – man game creates wait for it BETTER PEOPLE !!!!! ‘ He sprouts holier than thou rugby facts including “higher probability of achieving being GOOD PEOPLE through rugby. Rugby does not need this elitism. Hore should visit pubs in the Eastern Suburbs where it is common for people in the toilets to snort lines of coke.It would also happen on the North Shore, perhaps even in Mosman, Andrew Hore should domicile himself at Penrith Emus for weeks, months maybe, and ascertain the reasons why all their grades get flogged every week, get out of his NSWRU ivory tower and get his hands dirty, and rectify the Penrith problems. Haven't any rugby people smoked dope? snorted coke? Dealt in drugs? Hore must desist from this embarrassing elitism.
Baz
Guest
Hi David, with respect to Pete Samu I don't see what all the excitement is about. We have a plethora of back rowers and can't find enough room to play both the best 7 in the world and team captain. If Pete Samu was a Beauden Barret or Damien McKenzie I would understand the cause for concern. Point is, Pete Samu will not give us anything that we don't already have.
Kane
Roar Guru
NVFS are those players picked overseas eligible to play test rugby for the country they live in? If not then this is a completely different matter.
Kane
Roar Guru
Bakkies was AAC a capped wallaby or was he also eligible to play for France?
taylorman
Roar Guru
True Jameswn, we just chucked that in for free.?
Kane
Roar Guru
I think the better team won. Not only did they win 2-1 and had closed it out before game 3. They actually scored more points in the first three halves of the series as well as the last three halves of the series, a fact you try to claim falls in favour of the Wallabies.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Standard objective comment from Bakkies. “I mean angry about something else = that party always in the wrong”.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Not quite. They granted $26m to Mitre 10 Cup Provinces and $5M to heartland provinces.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
No. We are talking about a fixed location of a clubhouse and fields. You understand that don’t you? Blacktown is bsically next to Parramatta. Your email telling me people are driving to Penrith instead because somebody decided they rats what district club they belong to?
Fox
Roar Guru
"Cheika has a habit of wanting to pick players he doesn’t have. " You make have hit on a good point there TWAS but I still think Samu has been playing well And fox sports stats show he has made 13 Tackle Busts not 2
Fox
Roar Guru
I don't give a crap what you believe Drongo.
Fox
Roar Guru
You clearly have not read further down Drongo and Big Dog where I address that very point!
soapit
Roar Guru
not hard to see the argument that it could be a lot easier convincing league juniors to play rugby than the afl kids in victoria twas
concerned supporter
Guest
Hi David, Article for you to read from Canberra Times. '' https://www.canberratimes.com.au/sport/rugby-union/free-sausage-rolls-at-the-brumbies-and-the-need-for-a-game-day-gimmick-20180601-p4zitd.html ''
concerned supporter
Guest
TWAS, you from your bunker in Melbourne now say"What areä? Well firstly East to West,1 h 2 min (73.4 km) via M4 and Great Western Hwy/A32 Blacktown - Katoomba We are not talking the suburb Penrith, we are talking the District Club Penrith Emus. Understand the difference? Information on recently axed Snutr Shield Club, for the benefit of TWAS, and the droves of Kiwis on this thread. Great Rugby Culture emanating from RA, and NSWRU. 'https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penrith_Emus_Rugby'' ' '' https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/opinion/wayne-smith/penrith-axed-from-shute-shield-as-rugby-folk-prepare-to-make-a-stand/news-story/9c8c568e61c452c662f703302032dfb7 ''
taylorman
Roar Guru
Maybe not, but using a single tournament already knowing that NZs results reflect poorly on its usual winning rate is using stats to skew a different picture. For 24 years we were told we choked. Surely that assumes we were expected to win. Cant have it both ways.
taylorman
Roar Guru
Ha ha, nice Matt?
taylorman
Roar Guru
Perhaps David missed that little black kettle before going on his little rant. Research please.
taylorman
Roar Guru
He’d probably sit on the bench and play for no one, while someones laughing all the way to the bank.