Sam Talakai
Birth nameSemise Talakai
Date of birth (1991-09-04) 4 September 1991 (age 32)
Place of birthSydney, Australia
Height1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[1]
Weight122 kg (19 st 3 lb)[1]
SchoolWaverley College[2]
Notable relative(s)Chris Talakai (brother)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Tighthead Prop
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2010–
2014–2017
2015
2016
2018–2022		 Sydney University
Brisbane City
GPS
Brothers[3]
Suntory Sungoliath		 38
21


22		 20
(5)


(0)
Correct as of 17 November 2022
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
2013 Waratahs 1 (0)
Super Rugby
Years Team Apps (Points)
2015−2017
2018–2019
2023–		 Reds
Rebels
Rebels		 40
31
14		 (0)
(0)
(5)
Correct as of 3 June 2023
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2022– Australia 1 (0)
Correct as of 27 November 2022

Sam Talakai (born 4 September 1991), is an Australian rugby union player of Tongan descent. His usual position is Tighthead prop. He plays for Brisbane City in the National Rugby Championship, the Melbourne Rebels in Super Rugby and the Australian National Team, the Wallabies.

Family and early life

Talakai was born in Australia. He attended Waverley College where he played rugby for the 1st XV team. He has a younger brother named Kaiasi Talakai also playing in Waverly College.[2]

Career

Talakai joined the Sydney University club in 2010,[4] and by 2012 was a regular starter in their first grade Shute Shield team.[5] In 2012 he was selected in the Junior Waratahs side to play in the Pacific Rugby Cup,[6] and in 2013 he made his debut off the bench for the Waratahs against the British and Irish Lions.[4][7] In 2014 he was recruited by Brisbane City coach Nick Stiles to play in the National Rugby Championship.[2][8]

International

On the 26th of November 2022, Talakai was substituted onto the field in place of Allan Alaalatoa in the 71st minute of the Wallabies game against Wales, marking his debut in which the Wallabies won 39 to 34.

Super Rugby statistics

As of 3 June 2023[9]
Season Team Games Starts Sub Mins Tries Cons Pens Drops Points Yel Red
2015 Reds 13 6 7 471 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2016 Reds 13 1 12 237 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
2017 Reds 14 12 2 692 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2018 Rebels 16 7 9 605 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2019 Rebels 15 8 7 629 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
2023 Rebels 14 12 2 750 1 0 0 0 5 0 0
Total 85 46 39 3,384 1 0 0 0 5 3 0

Reference list

  1. ^ a b "Sam Talakai". Australian Rugby. 2016. Archived from the original on 19 November 2016.
  2. ^ a b c Cook, Paul (6 October 2014). "Big Sam Aiming For the Big Time With City". Rugby News. Archived from the original on 16 November 2014. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
  3. ^ Tucker, Jim (8 March 2016). "The Tight Five with Jim Tucker: Reds players must fire up, phony suspensions and the howler of the round". The Courier Mail. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
  4. ^ a b "Player Profiles: Sam Talakai". Sydney University Rugby. 2013. Archived from the original on 4 August 2014.
  5. ^ "Player Profiles: Sam Talakai". It's Rugby. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  6. ^ "Junior Waratahs Team Sheet" (PDF). Federation of Oceania Rugby Unions. 26 February 2012. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 August 2014. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  7. ^ "Inexperienced Waratahs to tackle Lions". Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax. 14 June 2013. Archived from the original on 9 August 2014. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  8. ^ "Curtis Browning to captain Brisbane City in inaugural Buildcorp National Rugby Championship". Queensland Rugby. 1 August 2014. Archived from the original on 1 August 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  9. ^ "Player Statistics". its rugby. Retrieved 26 July 2016.

External links

Melbourne Rebels – current squad
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