Too old and too slow? More like too hot to handle.

Radike Samo added another chapter to his comeback tale with a barnstorming display against the All Blacks at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night.

Mind you, it was already a pretty absorbing read.

It will now go down in rugby folklore that the 197cm loose forward was rejected by every Super Rugby franchise at the start of last year - except one.

Told he was past it after returning from stints in France and Japan, Samo still went knocking at the Queensland Reds - and coach Ewen McKenzie answered, much to his relief.

And no doubt Wallabies coach Robbie Deans was pretty relieved too in the 34th minute of Saturday night's Tri-Nations decider.

Starting in his first Test since 2004, Samo, 35, gave Adam Thomson the big palm - then kept going.

Despite fullback Mils Muliaina and speedster Cory Jane giving chase, Samo covered almost 60m to score as the cover defence finally pounced.

The gold contingent of the 51,858-strong crowd went nuts - and the rest?

Well, the All Blacks fans were no doubt as silent as those red-faced interstate club officials who knocked Samo back just last year.

Deans triumphantly punched the coach's window when Samo went over - the equivalent of a cartwheel from the usually poker-faced mentor.

Also known for his dead-pan ways, Samo's big afro was swamped by teammates as the Wallabies surged to a 20-3 halftime lead.

Dominant in the first half, Samo was benched for the final 20 minutes - but would have had no complaints.

He got the best seat in the house as the Wallabies held out the surging All Blacks to seal a 25-20 win - and clinch the Tri-Nations for the first time in a decade.

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