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Wallaby Sam Talakai agrees URC switch after Rebels' demise
By Josh Raisey
United Rugby Championship winners Glasgow Warriors have signed former Melbourne Rebels tighthead prop Sam Talakai ahead of the upcoming season, subject to visa.
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The one-cap Wallaby, 32, has become the fourth prop signed by Franco Smith this summer, with Rory Sutherland, Fin Richardson and Patrick Schickerling also arriving at Scotstoun.
Talakai spent the first half of 2024 with the Melbourne Rebels in Super Rugby Pacific, but the franchise’s demise left him without a club. That brought to an end his second stint in Melbourne, six years after he first joined in 2018, where he played alongside future Warriors teammate Sione Tuipulotu.
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A three-year stint in Japan with Suntory Sungoliath was sandwiched in between his spells with the Rebels. His time in Japan finished with him being selected for Dave Rennie’s Australia squad, where he earned his solitary cap against Wales in November 2022 before rejoining the Rebels in 2023.
“I’m really looking forward to joining the squad,” Talakai said to glasgowwarriors.org.
“I’ve heard nothing but good things about the club and the people, and the direction the club is heading played a big part.
“The rugby program is impressive, there’s a great squad assembled and my kids getting to experience a new culture – both as part of Glasgow Warriors and in the city of Glasgow – is the cherry on top.”
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“I spoke with Franco earlier in the year and he talked about the club’s vision and the direction we’re travelling as a group. It was an impressive catch-up and I’m excited to get stuck in.
“Since then, I’ve been in regular contact with Sione [Tuipulotu]. We played together in Australia and he spoke really highly of the club, the group and the city. Those conversations, and hearing the positive things everyone has to say about the club, made the decision quite easy for me in the end.
“On the field, I’m someone who just goes to work and executes my core role for the team. Off the field I’m pretty chilled. My family and I will just look to settle in and connect to the community, and we’re looking forward to meeting the Warrior Nation soon.”
Glasgow boss Smith added: “Sam is a proven performer who we believe can add to our squad this season.
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“To play 100 matches in Super Rugby shows the consistently high levels of performance he brings, and to have someone with that experience in our squad that our young, Scottish-qualified front-rowers can learn from can only benefit both the club and Scottish rugby in the long-term.
“Adding Sam also allows us to manage the workload of our senior international front-rowers, across what will be a long and physical season.
“We look forward to welcoming him to Scotstoun and to our squad in the coming weeks.”
Great to see RAs "drop to 4 teams" strategy building such depth. Another lost to rugby in Aus.
Basically, isn't it all part of their demise as a rugby union nation? It's been on the cards for a long time. Third in line after Aussie Rules and rugby league. Trouble is, them and the NZRU have been trying to convert union into league so they can compete with the other two sports, which hasn't done union any favours. Happily, the Boks have managed to escape the E-W route (apart from the so-called 'Championship' currently on the go) and now they're mainly N-S at least in club leagues like the URC and are IMHO having an incredibly positive effect on union, all round. Pity about the NZRU but there you (they) go.