Super Rugby

Rebels add Samo to back-row riches

ESPN Staff

Three-time Super Rugby champion and former Wallabies No.8 Radiko Samo will join Melbourne Rebels for "one last crack" at the southern hemisphere's top provincial competition.

Samo, 38, will join the Rebels later this month once his commitments with Japanese Top League club Kinetsu Liners have wrapped up. The Former Brumbies and Reds forward said he was excited about joining the "professional" Rebels set-up and being part of the large Pacific Islander community in Melbourne.

"Watching from Japan, it is clear that the Rebels are working really hard to build a competitive and professional rugby team," he said. "Everybody I spoke to had no hesitation in recommending that I sign for the Rebels, and I am really looking forward to joining in with Tony McGahan and the young and exciting squad he has assembled.

"I am very keen to give Super Rugby one last shot and I feel I have a lot to offer; I am really excited about coming to Melbourne. I'm also very grateful for the opportunity to join the Victorian Rugby community; there's a big Pacific Islander Rugby family in Melbourne, and I'm looking forward to becoming part of that."

Samo will join a strong Rebels back-row contingent that features Wallabies Scott Higginbotham and Sean McMahon as well as Colby Faingaa, Lopeti Timani and Scott Fuglistaller. Rebels coach Tony McGahan was thrilled to have secured Samo's services for 2015.

"Radike has been a strong contributor to every environment he has been within, with a majority of those environments being winning squads," McGahan said. "Someone of Radike's experience, who has enjoyed as much success as he has, will obviously be a fantastic addition to this young playing roster on and off the field."

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