Sam Backo facts for kids

Sam Backo (born 1 January 1961) was a famous Australian professional rugby league player. He played as a prop forward, which is a strong position in the front row of a rugby team. Sam was known for his powerful playing style during the 1980s and 1990s.

Many people consider Sam Backo one of the greatest Aboriginal rugby league players of the 20th century. He proudly represented his country, Australia, and his home state, Queensland. He also played for well-known clubs like the Canberra Raiders and Brisbane Broncos in Australia's top rugby league competition.

Sam made history by being the first Australian forward to score tries in all three matches of an Ashes series against Great Britain. After he retired from playing, he was honored by being named in an Indigenous Australian team of the century. Sam Backo passed away on 3 August 2025.

Sam Backo: A Rugby League Star

Early Days and First Steps in Rugby

Sam Backo was born on 1 January 1961. His mother was Evelyn Scott, who was a well-known leader for Aboriginal reconciliation. Sam grew up in a town called Ingham in North Queensland.

He started his rugby league journey as a forward for a team in Cairns. Later, he moved to Woden Valley in New South Wales in 1981 to play in the Group 8 competition. The next year, he returned to Queensland to play for Yeppoon.

Becoming a Canberra Raider

After playing for the Fortitude Valley team in Brisbane, Sam got his big chance in 1983. He joined the Canberra Raiders in their second season in the top Sydney Rugby League competition. He played his first game in March of that year.

From 1984 onwards, Sam became a key player for the Raiders. In 1987, he helped his team reach their very first Grand Final, which is the championship game. Although they played bravely, they lost to the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles.

State of Origin and International Success

In 1988, during his last season with Canberra, Sam was chosen to play for the Queensland Maroons in the famous State of Origin series. He played as a prop forward in all three games. He even scored a try in Game II and two tries in Game III! Queensland won the series easily. Sam was so good that he won the "man-of-the-match" award in two games in a row, which is a rare achievement.

Later in 1988, Sam made his international debut for Australia. He played against Great Britain in the Ashes series and scored a try in his first game. He then became the first Australian forward ever to score tries in all three matches of an Ashes series. Only one other Australian player, the legendary winger Ken Irvine, had done this before him. At the end of the 1988 season, Sam Backo was named the best front rower of the year for the Dally M awards. Unfortunately, an injury kept him from playing in Australia's World Cup Final winning team that year.

Playing in England and Brisbane

After his time with Canberra, Sam moved to England. He played for Leeds during the 1988–89 season. He helped Leeds win the 1988 Yorkshire Cup Final, coming on as a substitute in their victory over Castleford.

Sam spent his last two seasons of top-level rugby, 1989 and 1990, back in Queensland with the Brisbane Broncos. He was also selected to join the Australian team for the 1989 Kangaroo Tour of New Zealand. Despite having knee problems, he played four more games for Queensland in the 1989 and 1990 State of Origin series. His knee injuries limited his club games in 1990 and eventually led to his retirement at the end of that season. He was chosen to play for Australia against France in 1990 but had to pull out due to his ongoing knee injury. In total, Sam played in six international matches for Australia and scored three tries. In 1991, he briefly returned to play for the Logan Scorpions in Brisbane.

Life After Rugby

In 2000, Sam Backo received the Australian Sports Medal. This award recognized his important contributions to rugby league in Australia. In 2001, he was named in the Indigenous Team of the Century, a special team honoring the best Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players. He was in the starting lineup alongside other greats like Arthur Beetson and Gorden Tallis. In 2004, the Canberra Raiders also included him in their All Indigenous team.

Sam Backo had a daughter, Elaine Crombie, who is an actress. Her mother is the dancer Lillian Crombie. Sam's son, Daniel Backo, also played rugby league and was signed by the North Queensland Cowboys, but he did not play in the top NRL competition.

Remembering Sam Backo

Sam Backo passed away on 3 August 2025, at the age of 64. He had been diagnosed with a bacterial infection called melioidosis in April of that year. Many people from the rugby league community, including famous players like Wally Lewis and Trevor Gillmeister, offered their support to Sam and his family during his illness. Sam Backo will be remembered as a powerful and inspiring player who achieved great things in rugby league.

See also

In Spanish: Sam Backo para niños