{"id":467842,"date":"2026-02-09T04:57:14","date_gmt":"2026-02-09T04:57:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/467842\/"},"modified":"2026-02-09T04:57:14","modified_gmt":"2026-02-09T04:57:14","slug":"from-champions-cup-glory-to-wallabies-home-world-cup-pursuit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/467842\/","title":{"rendered":"From Champions Cup glory to Wallabies home World Cup pursuit"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Sam Darnold and the Seattle Seahawks achieved NFL immortality in Super Bowl LX with a 29-13 win over the New England<\/a> Patriots on Sunday evening. Thousands will fill the streets of Seattle in the coming days; fans will welcome the world champions home with a parade.<\/p>\n

Liverpool F.C, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Springboks are other teams that have enjoyed similar celebrations in recent years. These parades are powerful and unique to the sporting world, as the city of Bordeaux<\/a> showed last May.<\/p>\n

50,000 fans packed the streets after Union Bordeaux-Begles beat the Northampton<\/a> Saints 28-20 in the Champions Cup Final in Cardiff. It was the first major trophy in the club\u2019s history, crowned European champions \u2013 and the \u201crugby-loving\u201d city made sure to enjoy every moment<\/p>\n

@championscuprugby<\/a> Epic celebrations \ud83d\ude0d #InvestecChampionsCup<\/a> #Rugby<\/a> #UBB<\/a> #Bordeaux<\/a> @Union Bordeaux B\u00e8gles ? original sound \u2013 Investec Champions Cup<\/a><\/p>\n

Samu started opposite Henry Pollock<\/a> in the Champions Cup Final and put in a\u00a067-minute shift at the Principality Stadium. While\u00a0it\u2019d\u00a0been tough for Samu to initially leave Australia, winning that title and the parade that followed stands out as one of his career highlights.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a rugby-loving city, it was awesome to play in front of sell-out crowds every week,\u201d Samu told\u00a0RugbyPass.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI really enjoyed my footy a lot more as well. I\u00a0wouldn\u2019t\u00a0say I\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0enjoying it here before I left but\u00a0there\u2019s\u00a0a few things that happened\u2026\u00a0lost a tiny bit of motivation.<\/p>\n

\u201cHeading over there was a fresh start; new team,\u00a0new players\u00a0and got to experience that side of the world.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was like nothing I\u2019ve been a part of before,\u201d\u00a0he added when asked about\u00a0the parade.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou see it on TV with\u00a0the football\u2026\u00a0just to be a part of it and seeing the streets filled with fans,\u00a0it\u00a0just\u00a0shows how much rugby means to the city.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s\u00a0probably one\u00a0of the best rugby experiences\u00a0I\u2019ve\u00a0had in my career. Was an awesome experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

Samu\u2019s professional rugby journey began with Tasman in New Zealand\u2019s NPC and the Crusaders<\/a> at Super Rugby level. The backrower played multiple seasons alongside the likes of Kieran Read<\/a> and Codie Taylor<\/a> before heading across the ditch, signing with the Brumbies.<\/p>\n

Born in Melbourne, Samu returned to Australia<\/a> with\u00a0ambitions\u00a0of playing for the Wallabies. The loose forward was named to take on Ireland<\/a> in Brisbane on June 9, 2018, and has gone on to make a total of 34 appearances in the iconic\u00a0gold jersey.<\/p>\n

While the Brumbies<\/a> enforcer became a mainstay of the Super Rugby powerhouse\u2019s matchday sides, an opportunity to head overseas proved too good to turn down. Samu was linked with a move to Bordeaux in March 2023, and the club later confirmed the move.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was really tough to leave,\u201d\u00a0Samu said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was at the Brumbies at the time and made so many good friends. It was very tough to leave on that\u00a0note\u00a0but\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0grateful for the move.<\/p>\n

\u201cHeading to France, moving my whole life, my family, my kids and heading over there and into\u00a0a new environment\u00a0where we had to sort of start, which was a blessing as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe really got into the culture and speaking a new language and had its\u00a0challenges\u00a0but we really enjoyed our time over in France.\u201d<\/p>\n

Samu\u00a0decided to return home to Australia in a bid to\u00a0represent\u00a0the host nation as next\u00a0year\u2019s Rugby World Cup, which starts on October 1 in Perth.\u00a0But it\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0an easy call to make, having \u201cmade a home in\u00a0France\u2026\u00a0I call some of (the\u00a0Bordeaux players) our French family.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 34-year-old made lifelong friends and memories while overseas, and even had a chance to start one match on the wing. This decision to return home has been particularly motivated by what would be a career-first, as he\u2019s yet to play on the sport\u2019s biggest stage.<\/p>\n

Michael Cheika\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0select the backrower in the Wallabies squad for the 2019 Rugby World Cup<\/a> in Japan, with the Aussies falling in a quarter-final defeat to England in Oita. Samu\u00a0wasn\u2019t picked by Eddie Jones for the next tournament either, instead playing for Australia A<\/a> before the event.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was probably one of the few main drivers of me coming back\u00a0home was\u00a0to play in a World Cup,\u201d\u00a0Samu explained.<\/p>\n

\u201cI came close with the last one.\u00a0To miss out, it was pretty tough to take.\u00a0But man, it is what it is.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s\u00a0exciting to be back, strive for a World Cup but excited to be here in this environment (with the) Waratahs. A lot of good young boys\u00a0coming\u00a0through and\u00a0just excited to play.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s probably the main driver, playing in front of family and friends in a home World Cup would mean a lot to us,\u201d he added later.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith the way the squad went last\u00a0year, it was\u00a0really exciting\u00a0to watch and be a part\u00a0of in\u00a0the backend of the\u00a0year.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was probably the main driver in coming home.\u201d<\/p>\n