Ex-Aussie Schoolboys union gun Dion Samuela shining in homecoming from rugby league
The hotstepping Gold Coast fullback formerly compared to Kalyn Ponga and selected ahead of Joseph Sua’ali’i has surged to the top of the tryscoring leaderboard after exiting rugby league. Get your weekend’s look at local rugby.
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Former Australian Schoolboys fullback Dion Samuela scored two tries to lead Bond University to victory over Souths in the Hospital Cup on Saturday, in another affirming reminder his decision to return to rugby union was the right one.
Samuela is Bond’s leading tryscorer through six rounds of Queensland’s Premier Rugby competition, with Saturday’s double taking his season tally to three.
Samuela, 24, is only months into his return to the code he represented as an under-18 in 2019, starring alongside future Wallabies Joseph Suali’i, Josh Flook, Zane Nonggorr and Tom Hooper in a famous win over New Zealand.
Samuela walked away from rugby in 2024 to pursue rugby league with the Runaway Bay Seagulls but featured in just two A Grade matches, prompting his return to Bond.
“I definitely feel very comfortable coming back to union after a few years away,” Samuela said.
“Playing league last year, I needed a little break away from it (union) because I’d been doing it for a while but I’m so happy I’ve come back. I’ve never enjoyed it more.”
Samuela’s sharp footwork, a calling card from his earliest days at The Southport School - where he drew comparisons to Kalyn Ponga - was on full display in a man of the match performance against Souths.
Samuela beat three defenders to score his first try in the 38th minute, leading Bond to a 24-14 lead.
He struck again in the dying minutes of the match, stepping through the Magpies’ goal line defence to seal the match, 29-21, securing man of the match honours in the process.
“It was a good to get the win, he said. “We’d had a couple of close losses so we needed the win and I was just happy I could be part of it.
“I definitely feel very comfortable coming back in. Credit to my mates and my coaches who let me feel like I can play my game freely.”
Samuela said his ambition to play the game professionally was alive and well but he knows time is on his side.
“My focus is playing a good season for Bond and hopefully getting that premiership with them, that’s the main goal, and then that stuff will hopefully bounce off of that,” Samuela said.
“I’d love to try and play professionally somewhere, whether it’s in Australia or somewhere overseas, that’s the big goal, but the main goal for this year is to play good footy for Bond.”
In the Gold Coast District Rugby Union, Nerang Bulls edged past Palm Beach Currumbin Alleygators 24-17 in a showdown between the top two sides on the ladder.
Nerang’s defence contained the competition’s No.1 attacking side to a single try and four penalty goals while scoring four tries themselves.
Hinterland Celtics produced one of the competition’s great upsets, stunning perennial contenders Surfers Paradise 19-15 in Beenleigh for their maiden win in first grade.
Their historic victory leaves Nerang as the last remaining unbeaten team in the competition.
Gold Coast Eagles roared to its first win of the season with a 66-5 victory over Bond Pirates.
Helensvale Hogs defeated Coomera 30-0 on Crushers’ Old Boys Day at Coomera Sports Complex.
PREVIEW
A top-of-the-table early season blockbuster offers Palm Beach Currumbin the chance to boost its title odds from Gold Coast rugby union dark horse to premiership contender, if the club can snap Nerang’s 18-match winning streak on Saturday.
The Bulls have not tasted defeat since August 2023 but are yet to meet Palm Beach’s rejuvenated roster, which has averaged 37 points per game through the opening weeks of the season to become the Coast’s No.1 attacking side.
“It will be a good opportunity to see where we are at as a whole squad,” Alleygators coach Jack Moon said.
“This will be a good challenge for us.”
PBC welcomes back last year’s fly half Luke White from a long injury lay-off, with the Queensland Country junior representative to line up at fullback for a head-to-head duel with former Australian Schoolboys excitement machine Tyler Stevens.
Surfers Paradise has waited a month to return to the field after a bye, a public holiday and rain conspired against it over the past three weekends.
The Dolphins travel to Beenleigh to face new kids on the block Hinterland Celtics, who have been a surprise packet with two narrow losses to open what was expected to be a difficult first season.
Coomera, meanwhile, is hunting its first win over original northern rivals Helensvale in 10 years.
The Crushers have lost 13 in a row to their nearest neighbours since 2016.
Gold Coast Eagles are on the search for a first win of the season against Bond Pirates.
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