Radike Samo

{{Infobox rugby biography

| image = Radike Samo 2018.jpg

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1976|7|9}}

| birth_place = Nadi, Fiji

| height = {{height|m=1.97}}

| weight = {{convert|117|kg|abbr=on}}

| relatives = Ravuama Samo (brother)

| ru_position = Number Eight, Flanker, Lock, Wing,

| ru_currentposition =

| ru_currentteam =

| years1 = 2006–07

| years2 = 2007–10

| years3 = 2013–15

| years4 = 2015

| years5 = 2017

| clubs1 = Stade Français

| clubs2 = Y. M Atlastars

| clubs3 = Kintetsu Liners

| clubs4 = Queensland Country

| clubs5 = Brisbane City

| apps1 = 22

| apps2 =

| apps3 = 27

| apps4 = 2

| apps5 = 1

| points1 = 30

| points2 =

| points3 = 50

| points4 = 5

| ru_clubupdate = 4 November 2015

| superyears1 = 2000–06

| superyears2 = 2010–13

| superyears3 = 2015

| super1 = Brumbies

| super2 = Reds

| super3 = Rebels

| superapps1 = 35

| superapps2 = 33

| superapps3 = 1

| superpoints1 = 20

| superpoints2 = 25

| superpoints3 = 0

| super14update = 14 June 2015

| repyears1 = 2004, 2011–12

| repteam1 = {{nrut|Australia}}

| repcaps1 = 23

| reppoints1 = 15

| ru_ntupdate = 11 November 2012

}}

Radike Samo (born 9 July 1976 in Nadi, Fiji) is an Australian retired rugby union player. He plays lock, flanker, number 8 and can even play on the wing.

Rugby career

Between 2000 and 2006 Samo played 35 games for the ACT Brumbies.{{Citation needed|date = February 2012}}

He played with the Fiji Under-19's national team before winning 6 caps for the Wallabies in 2004.{{Citation needed|date = February 2012}}

In the summer of 2006, he signed a two-year contract with French giants Stade Français after rejecting an offer from Cardiff Blues. He scored a try on his debut with the Paris team after just 6 minutes (v ASM Clermont Auvergne, 30 August 2006, 45-15) and the winning try in the French Championship final against the same team in Stade de France on 9 June 2007, after scoring against Biarritz Olympique in the semi-final, both times coming off the bench.{{Citation needed|date = February 2012}}

In April 2010, he returned from Japan to play for the Southern Districts Rebels in the Shute Shield competition, before joining the Queensland Reds on a short-term contract as cover for James Horwill. He started off slowly but after several games he was dubbed "outstanding" by Reds coach Ewen Mckenzie.{{cite web | date = 7 April 2011 | first = Jim | last = Morton

| url = http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/rugby-union/reds/reds-muscle-up-for-stormers-20110407-1d5xh.html

| title = Reds muscle up for Stormers | work = Brisbane Times | publisher = Fairfax | accessdate = 2012-02-26}} He continued with the Reds in 2011, playing in the team's Super Rugby final triumph on his 35th birthday. The following day it was announced he had been called up to the Wallabies 40-man squad for the Test against Samoa, and TriNations series against New Zealand and South Africa.[http://www.rugby.com.au/wallabies/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1516/ArticleID/3773/Default.aspx Qantas Wallabies Squad For Samoa Test & Tri Nations Named]

He scored his first test try for the Wallabies during the final Tri-Nations and Bledisloe Cup match against the All Blacks in Brisbane on 27 August 2011.[http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/rugby-gold/veteran-radike-a-runaway-success/story-fn8t7efs-1226124011831 Veteran Wallabies star Radike Samo a runaway success] This try was later selected as the IRPA Try of the Year 2011.{{Cite web|title = World Rugby Awards Past Winners|url = http://www.worldrugby.org/awards/past-winners|website = worldrugby.org|accessdate = 2 November 2015|publisher = World Rugby}}

At 35 years old, Samo is the oldest player to play for Australia in a Tri-Nations match.[http://www.irb.com/mm/document/newsmedia/mediazone/02/04/52/45/ausvnzl.pdf IRB Match Preview] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140225181605/http://www.irb.com/mm/document/newsmedia/mediazone/02/04/52/45/ausvnzl.pdf |date=25 February 2014 }} He, unusually, played on the wing for the Wallabies 2011 Rugby World Cup match with Russia,[http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby-world-cup-2011/news/article.cfm?c_id=522&objectid=10755256 Australia name Samo on the wing] in place of the injured Drew Mitchell.[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/14829971.stm Australia 68-22 Russia]

It was announced on 16 January 2015 that he had signed with the Melbourne Rebels. In 2015, he played for Melbourne Rebels in Super Rugby and Queensland Country in National Rugby Championship. In 2016, he played in the Queensland Premier Rugby competition.

In 2017, he played for Brisbane City in National Rugby Championship.

Representative record

Super 12/14 debut: 2000 v Reds, Canberra
Test debut: 2004 v Scotland, Melbourne

Achievements

Won 2001 & 2004 Super 12 Championship with ACT Brumbies
Test Rugby Debut: 2004 v Scotland
2007 French Top 14 Champion with Stade Français{{cite news

|url=https://www.ladepeche.fr/article/2007/06/09/5182-top-14-rugby-soir-stade-francais-affronte-clermont-finale.html

|title=Top 14 de rugby: ce soir, le Stade Français affronte Clermont en finale

|publisher=ladepeche.fr

|date=9 June 2007 |accessdate=23 March 2021}}

Won 2011 Super 15 Championship with Queensland Reds
Recalled into 2011 Wallabies 40-man Tri-nations and Bledisloe Cup squad after a 7-year absence
Member of Wallabies 2011 Rugby World Cup squad
Won 3rd place with the Wallabies in the 2011 World Cup.
IRB try of the year award 2011
Recalled into the Wallabies 30-man squad for the 2012 Bledisloe Cup and inaugural rugby championship.

References

External links

{{Sport links}}
[https://web.archive.org/web/20110903012628/http://www.redsrugby.com.au/Reds/RedsSquad/PlayerPage/tabid/583/playerid/23/Default.aspx Queensland Reds profile]
[http://www.rugby.com.au/wallabies/Team/WallabiesProfiles/ProfilePage/tabid/1513/playerid/56/Default.aspx Wallabies profile]

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Category:1976 births

Category:Australian rugby union players

Category:Australian people of I-Taukei Fijian descent

Category:Australia international rugby union players

Category:ACT Brumbies players

Category:Queensland Reds players

Category:Melbourne Rebels players

Category:Hanazono Kintetsu Liners players