Pete Samu could be a Wallabies bolter to face the Lions after signing a deal to return to Australian rugby in 2026.
The Roar can reveal that the 33-year-old, who played the last of his 33 Tests against the Springboks in Eddie Jones’ first Test back in charge of the Wallabies in 2023, has agreed to terms with the Waratahs.
His return will help ease the pain of losing fellow back-rowers Langi Gleeson and Rob Leota, who will continue their careers in the French Top 14.
It will also serve as a full circle moment for Samu, having played for Randwick but been looked past for higher honours at the Waratahs before heading across the ditch.
It was under Scott Robertson where Samu made his name, helping the Crusaders to successive Super Rugby championships in 2017 and 2018 before joining Dan McKellar’s Brumbies.
Now, McKellar has brought him home.
Pete Samu is set to return to Australian rugby, with Dan McKellar luring the back-rower back to NSW. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
His return comes six months after indicating that his international career might not just be over yet despite admitting he hadn’t spoken to Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt.
“I feel I haven’t quite finished there yet,” Samu told AFP in November.
“I haven’t spoken to Joe but I can see that they’ve got something good going there.”
Samu, 33, has been in outstanding form recently.
The dynamic back-rower scored a stunning try for Bordeaux during their recent Champions Cup semi-final win over Toulouse.
Samu also played his part in another try that went viral in that same fixture, giving Bordeaux the perfect start after half-time with a length-of-the-field try from the kick restart that helped blow away Toulouse.
While Samu will be on show in the Champions Cup final later this month, his hopes of taking on the Lions in July and August could be hurt by his side’s Top 14 title hopes.
With the French Top 14 final on June 28, Samu realistically wouldn’t be back in Australia until early July – three weeks before the first Test against the Lions.
But in a series that is expected to be physically taxing and see several injuries, his return will be welcomed by Wallabies selectors, given his quality and ability to play in every position in the back-row.
On Monday, Schmidt told reporters in Sydney that he wanted to pick a Wallabies squad on form and said Samu, who didn’t receive a call-up last year from overseas unlike Will Skelton, Samu Kerevi and Marika Koroibete, was on the radar of Australian rugby officials.
“We haven’t made any hard and fast decisions,” Schmidt said about the availability and eligibility of the Wallabies’ overseas based players.
“But we obviously used Will, Samu and Marika last year. I’ve spoken about James [O’Connor.].
“Potentially, there’s other guys like Pete Samu, who’s committed, I think, to coming back at some stage.
“And even the guys who are going, like Tom Hooper and Langi Gleeson, I do think we’ll see them back playing for the Wallabies at some stage. So, we don’t want to discount anyone. Because as [Lions coach] Andy’s [Farrell] done, they’ve picked a form squad.
“We’d love to pick a form squad. But as I’ve always said, if there’s anything that we think is 50-50, it’s more difficult to absorb someone in from outside of the groups that play together already. It’s just not the same cohesion.”
After starring for the Crusaders, Samu was lured back on this side of the ditch after capturing the eye of Wallabies coach Michael Cheika.
He signed for the Brumbies in 2018 and then quickly made his debut against Ireland that same year.
The versatile back-rower missed selection for the 2019 World Cup, but featured prominently under Dave Rennie.
But the back-rower never quite hit the heights many hoped he would for the Wallabies and was one of a number of high profile omissions under Jones for the 2023 World Cup.
