Sam Carter
Birth nameSam Carter
Birth date10 September 1989 (age 36)
Birth placeSydney, New South Wales, Australia
Height2.01 m (6 ft 7 in)
Weight116 kg (18.3 st; 256 lb)
SchoolScots College
UniversityUniversity of Sydney
PositionLock
CurrentclubWestern Force
Years 12011–2019
Clubs 1ACT Brumbies
Apps 1122
Points 145
Years 22015–2016
Clubs 2NSW Country Eagles
Apps 22
Points 20
Years 32016–2018
Clubs 3Canberra Vikings
Apps 39
Points 312
Years 42019–2023
Clubs 4Ulster
Apps 458
Points 430
Years 52023–2024
Clubs 5Leicester Tigers
Apps 515
Points 50
Years 62024–2025
Clubs 6Western Force
Apps 610
Points 65
Clubupdate21 May 2025[1]
Repyears 12014–2024
Repcaps 116
Reppoints 10
Repupdate27 June 2017

Sam Carter (born 10 September 1989) is an Australian retired professional rugby union player who most recently played lock for Western Force in Super Rugby. He formerly played for the Brumbies from 2011 to 2019, and won 16 caps for Australia between 2014 and 2017, before spending 2019–2023 playing for Ulster in the URC he then played for Leicester Tigers in Premiership Rugby, England's top division.

Career

His father, David Carter, was also an Australian international.[2] He was educated at Scots College in Sydney, and represented Sydney University.[3] He moved to Canberra to join the Brumbies Academy in 2010.[4] He made his debut for the Brumbies in 2011[2] against the Melbourne Rebels,[3] and soon became a regular in the team.[4] He was made co-captain with Christian Leali'ifano in 2017,[3] and became only the twelfth Brumbies player to make 100 appearances in 2018.[2] He played for the Canberra Vikings in the inaugural season of the National Rugby Championship in 2014. He joined the New South Wales Country Eagles for the 2015 season.[5] He first played for Australia in 2014, and won the last of his sixteen caps in 2017,[2][6] before falling out with coach Michael Cheika.[7] He signed for Ulster ahead of the 2019–20 season,[3] but missed most of his first season there with a shoulder injury.[8] He has since captained the side.[9] On 25 May 2023 his signing was announced by Leicester Tigers in England's Premiership Rugby.[10]

On 25 March 2024, he joined the Western Force in Australia.[11] He retired in 2025 after the Force's match against the British and Irish Lions.[12]

Super Rugby statistics

[1]

SeasonTeamGamesStartsSubMinsTriesConsPensDropsPointsYelRed
2011101140000000
20121513298220001000
20131817111960000010
201416160122320001000
2015131309550000010
20161616012341000510
201715150117920001000
201812937451000510
20191716112501000500
Total1221148870390004540

References

  1. ^ Playing stats at ItsRugby.co.uk
  2. ^ Gareth Hanna, "Who is Sam Carter? All you need to know about Ulster Rugby's latest signing", Belfast Telegraph, 31 January 2019
  3. ^ "Ulster sign Australia second row Sam Carter from ACT Brumbies", BBC Sport, 31 January 2019
  4. ^ Chris Dutton, "Brumbies brace for twin-tower blow as Sam Carter weighs up Irish move", The Sydney Morning Herald, 26 January 2019
  5. ^ CSU NSW Country Eagles announce 2015 NRC squad Archived 9 August 2015 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ Chris Dutton, "Is Brumbies lock Sam Carter the Wallabies' 'forgotten man'?", Canberra Times, 21 June 2019
  7. ^ Oliver Caffrey, "Brumbies star off to Ireland, out of World Cup", Fox Sport, 31 January 2019
  8. ^ Michael Sadlier, "Despite injury and pandemic setbacks, Australia ace Carter admits move to Ulster was worth the risk", Belfast Telegraph, 8 November 2020
  9. ^ Ciaran Donaghy, "Sam Carter says unbeaten Ulster still have room to improve", News Letter, 10 October 2021
  10. ^ "Leicester Tigers: Sam Carter & Solomone Kata to join Premiership side". BBC Sport. 23 May 2023. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  11. ^ Somerford, Ben (25 March 2024). "Force bolster lock stocks with signing of former Wallaby Sam Carter". westernforce.rugby. Retrieved 29 June 2025.
  12. ^ "Former Wallabies and current Western Force lock Sam Carter has announced his retirement from Rugby Union.", Rugby.com.au, 30 May 2025