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Retiring ex-Wallabies lock eager for one more hurrah

Retiring ex-Wallabies lock eager for one more hurrah

West Australian30-05-2025
Former Wallabies lock Sam Carter has announced his retirement from professional rugby, but he wants to have one final hurrah against the British and Irish Lions later this month.
Carter told his Western Force teammates of his decision to hang up the boots prior to last week's golden-point loss to the NSW Waratahs.
But the 35-year-old has one more game left in him - with Carter keen to line up for the Force in the June 28 showdown with the British and Irish Lions at Optus Stadium.
"I'm really keen to be involved in the Lions match later this month," Carter said in a statement.
"I think the British and Irish Lions are one of the things that make rugby so special and unique.
"After that, my family and I are planning to take some time off to reassess what the next chapter looks like for us."
Carter called time following a brilliant playing career that saw him earn 16 caps for the Wallabies, including being part of the side's 2015 World Cup squad.
The towering lock played 132 Super Rugby games after debuting for the ACT Brumbies in 2011.
He played 122 times for the Brumbies (2011-2019) and added another 10 caps at the Force since joining them in 2024.
During his time at the Brumbies, Carter was a club co-captain, won the side's best forward award and earned Rugby Australia's Academic Achievement Award in 2018.
Carter also spent five years in Europe with Ulster (2019-2023) and Leicester Tigers (2023-2024) between his Super Rugby stints.
The father of two said it was the right time to retire.
"I've come to a point where I feel ready to step away from rugby after 14 years in the professional game," he said.
"One of the big highlights for me was making my debut for the Wallabies in 2014, something I had dreamed of since I was a kid."
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We've been through a lot this week and the last few weeks and it's good to be out there playing footy because for me I only played the (one) game." "I need to keep playing footy so this helps me. Hopefully I keep playing and who knows what happened in TRC, so fingers crossed." Taniela Tupou is pledging to play every Test like it's his last after reviving his Wallabies career with a performance for the ages. Three months after candidly claiming he didn't deserve to feature against the British and Irish Lions, Tupou repaid Joe Schmidt's faith in him with one of the mightiest displays in a gold jumper. While back-rower Tom Hooper was a deserving man of the match, the powerhouse prop was also immense in Australia's stirring 22-12 victory over the British and Irish Lions in Sydney on Saturday night. 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Australian rugby's highest-paid forward is heading to Racing 92 in France this year but hasn't given up on featuring at the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia, now that he's resurrected his international career. "I always make myself available for the Wallabies, whether I'm in France or wherever I am," Tupou said. "So if they need me, I'll 100 per cent put my hands up. "So hopefully this isn't the last time. Hopefully there's more to come." The gentle giant said the opportunity to play against the Lions, especially after his tumultuous season, was not lost on him. "I'm glad I'm part of this one and part of a win against the Lions. There's a lot of Wallabies legends who don't get a chance to play against the Lions," Tupou said. "We needed this win. We've been through a lot this week and the last few weeks and it's good to be out there playing footy because for me I only played the (one) game." "I need to keep playing footy so this helps me. 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But an emotional Tupou, wrapping his big arms around a Sydney journalist and thanking the scribe for his support during the dark times was the most poignant moment inside the Accor Stadium walls post match. "It's always an honour to be named in the Wallabies, to represent Australia. I was quite emotional when I sang the anthem," the 29-year-old said. "And as you get older, these opportunities mean a lot more to you and you tend to think when you get older, 'Oh man, one of these games could be the last'. "So I was just soaking in the environment, the crowd and everything. It was it was pretty cool to be part of it. So delighted we won the game." Australian rugby's highest-paid forward is heading to Racing 92 in France this year but hasn't given up on featuring at the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia, now that he's resurrected his international career. "I always make myself available for the Wallabies, whether I'm in France or wherever I am," Tupou said. "So if they need me, I'll 100 per cent put my hands up. "So hopefully this isn't the last time. Hopefully there's more to come." The gentle giant said the opportunity to play against the Lions, especially after his tumultuous season, was not lost on him. "I'm glad I'm part of this one and part of a win against the Lions. There's a lot of Wallabies legends who don't get a chance to play against the Lions," Tupou said. "We needed this win. We've been through a lot this week and the last few weeks and it's good to be out there playing footy because for me I only played the (one) game." "I need to keep playing footy so this helps me. Hopefully I keep playing and who knows what happened in TRC, so fingers crossed."

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