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Digby Ioane slams Michael Cheika for 'missing' Samu
By Online Editors
Former Wallaby and ex-Reds and Crusaders winger Digby Ioane has slammed Michael Cheika for 'missing' on Pete Samu when he was playing in Australia. The blindside flanker moved to New Zealand and played his way into the Tasman side before making the Crusaders.
“So happy to see #Samu making the Wallabies. It’s a real shame tho Michael Cheika didn’t see Peter Samu potential when he was playing in Australia. #Grassroots,” Ioane tweeted.
Samu expected to remain in New Zealand for life when he made the call to leave Sydney to move to Nelson.
"Things have turned out different and I'm here now and I'm excited," he told rugby.com.au.
"I'm really excited for the new challenge. It's going to be quite tough to leave the Crusaders with what they've done for me and the way they've been going.
"When I made the decision to go over there I never thought I'd be back."
“I’m still coming to terms with it actually ... it’s always the dream to represent your country,” he said.
As a 19-year-old he played reserve grade for Sunnybank in the Brisbane club competition in 2011. Future Queensland Reds backrowers Liam Gill and Jake Shatz held the first grade loose forward positions. He then moved to Sydney to play for Randwick, the club that Michael Cheika coached before being offered an opportunity to coach professionally at Leinster.
Samu was apart of the 2013 wider training squad for the Waratahs where Cheika had a first-hand look at the Melbourne product but no contract came forward.
He has now come full circle, after being released by NZR to play for the Wallabies in the upcoming test series against Ireland.
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Latest Comments
This cracked media record of aligning success or failure on head coaches is remarkable. Using the crusaders past history as an example, a more sensible observation and analysis could be that the recent head coaches had inherited a extremely successful combination of players linked to their traditional historical support of the Canterbury people. That period ended this year when the new coach was introduced to virtually a new team. And in a year where other franchises have grown much stronger than their respective past, it was always an anticipated reality that the coach and his new crusader team were up against it. Therefore, I humbly believe that unlike some commentators present, I laud coach Penny and the team for their efforts to date and I am sure given another term and with Canterbury behind them they will be riding high once more. Strange all this coming from me who lives in Taupo and a one eyed chiefs supporter. Can't wait for all future chiefs and crusader games!
Go to commentsGrt bench player..keep him there..
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