Pete Samu might just be the unluckiest man in Australian rugby.
The consistent and versatile Brumbies backrower was surprisingly snubbed for the 2019 Rugby World Cup, with then coach Michael Cheika reportedly unimpressed by his decision to attend a family wedding instead of a Wallabies training camp.
Four years on, harsh history may be repeating after Samu was a shock casualty of Eddie Jones’ Bledisloe Cup squad unveiled on Thursday.
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The 31-year-old came off the bench in the loss to South Africa in Pretoria and was dropped for the Argentina defeat in Sydney.
“I’m happy that Langi Gleeson’s back because he’s a different dynamic that we need to have a look at,” former Wallabies backrower Stephen Hoiles said on Stan Sport’s Rugby Heaven.
“But I’m a little bit shocked that Pete Samu is gone to be honest.”
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He wasn’t the only one.
“I couldn’t agree more, that’s the one that I actually can’t quite fathom why he’s not there. So adaptable in that role off the bench at worst,” Morgan Turinui said.
“But I think he had a fine Super Rugby season, he’s a great player to have in a World Cup squad. I’d want him in my group.
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“The other ones are logical. (Josh) Kemeny out for (Langi) Gleeson coming in, we expected that. Tom Wright, a little bit of accountability around selection gets Jordie Petaia and Andrew Kellaway back in there.”
Hoiles expected Kellaway to slot in for Wright as the starting fullback at the MCG on July 29 and Petaia to come in for the injured Len Ikitau at outside centre.
But Turinui believed fullback was probably Petaia’s best position at present.
“He thinks he’s a 15. I think the space suits him as a player. We’ve seen his kicking game improve with the Reds, which means he can be a viable option at 15 and he can come in and out of the game. So as he’s continuing to learn and maybe getting ball kicked to him… maybe that’s the best spot.
“Kellaway is the safe option, it doesn’t matter where you put him from 13 or wider. But also Lalakai Foketi’s there, Izzy Perese… where do they come into it as well?”
Dual code great Mat Rogers said he would be happy with Kellaway at fullback and Petaia at outside centre to take on the All Blacks.
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“I like Andrew Kellaway. He played well last year. He plays what’s in front of him, backs himself. And he doesn’t make many mistakes, which is really important,” Rogers said.
“I would have (Petaia) in my side every day of the week based on what I’ve seen potentially, I don’t think we’ve seen near his best. I’ve got to say, the way that Australia are playing at the moment, I don’t think we’re going to see his best because we’re not freeing up those outside backs to see him in space.”
Wallabies great Daniel Herbert said Ikitau would be sorely missed as he races the clock to get his broken shoulder right for the World Cup.
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“He’s one of those guys who goes under the radar,” Herbert told Wide World of Sports.
“He’s a very, very good, very high quality player like Lukhanyo Am is for South Africa.
“He’s developing into that style of player. If he has a good World Cup he’ll be in the conversation for World XV in my view. He’s a really good player.”
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