RENNIE SPEAKS: Kerevi set to play as two key Wallabies ruled out, positive JOC, Quade updates

Samu Kerevi is set to return to the Wallabies’ starting lineup for the first time since the 2019 World Cup with Hunter Paisami and Lukhan Salakaia-Loto leaving camp ahead of the impending births of their children.

Wallabies coach Dave Rennie said Friday that both players would likely have featured had the Test been played on schedule this weekend.

Baby issues have hit both sides, with three All Blacks starters – Sam Whitelock, Aaron Smith and Richie Mo’unga – also missing the game in Perth next Sunday because of impending childbirth.

Feleti Kaitu’u has also returned to the fold with Jordi Uelese returning to Melbourne, as the Wallabies prepare for the match.

Kerevi didn’t travel for the opening two matches but was brought into the squad after the Olympics Sevens tournament.

Rennie flagged a couple of changes from the team well beaten last time out in Auckland.

“We’ve always said we’re going to select on performance and a big chunk of guys went did pretty well in that game especially in the first 40 odd minutes,” said Rennie.

“We’ll pick based on who’s earned the right to be in the squad so there is likely to be a couple of changes.”

He said Kerevi had been “excellent” in training.

Samu Kerevi of the Wallabies is tackled. (Photo by Lee Warren/Gallo Images/Getty Images)

“Like Quade [Cooper] he’s an experienced man who’s contributing really well and there’s a fair bit for him to get his head around, of course.

“Obviously, he played over in Suntory. A good mate of mine, Jason O’Halloran, coaches over there and he gave me some really positive feedback around Samu’s preparation and the detail around him trying to be better each day and we’re seeing it in our squad.

“I know he’s done a lot of work at Suntory, as well as his kicking game, on his distribution and as we know he can be direct and has an ability to offload beyond the tackler.

“He’s been working really hard on the defensive side of his game and so it’s been a real credit to him.”

Rennie also had encouraging news on veterans James O’Connor, who missed the French series and two Bledisloe Tests with injury, and Quade Cooper.

“He’s going pretty well, we expect him to rejoin the squad once we get back to Brisbane,” Rennie said.

“We’re not certain he’ll be available for that first Test against South Africa but he’ll be pretty close.”

Cooper was brought in ahead of the Bledisloe series but hasn’t made a matchday squad since his return. Rennie hinted he might get a run in Perth and said he had proven his value away from game day.

“He’s been fantastic in the group and I can’t speak highly enough of him,” said Rennie.

“Even when we had a few days off the front of the week he was driving a lot of the training and additional stuff a lot of the boys were doing out in the field or down at the gym.

“He’s been a big contributor to all meetings and discussions and happy to share his knowledge and he’s trained really well. His ability for pass selection or kicking options has been spot on and it’s been really good from a training perspective for us.

“He’s pretty much been running the New Zealand plays. He’s applying pressure on us for selection.”

Rennie famously said he was “bloody angry” when New Zealand Rugby decided against sending the team across the ditch for the match this weekend.

While he softened slightly he maintained the Australians were upset that the All Blacks didn’t fulfill their commitments, given the way Australia had been flexible with the start of the series but he stopped short of suggesting it would be used as a motivating factor on the field.

“I don’t know about extra edge. We’re not necessarily using it as motivation. The disappointing thing for us is we knew The Rugby Championship was going to be played somewhere in the world on the 12th of September.

“The All Blacks committed to play originally on the 21st and then on the 28th.

“Had they come over here we all knew on the 29th we were jumping on a plane and heading somewhere in the world, whether that was Brisbane, whether it was South Africa, whether that was the UK.

“And so from that perspective we felt they should have got on the plane, come over and fulfilled their commitments.

“But anyway, they’re here now. I know of people in Perth really excited about the opportunity. There’s a real good feel here and it should be a good occasion.

“There are plenty of motivating factors and the biggest one is the scoreline last time we played.”

He said the Wallabies players had some days off at the start of the week, “knowing that the next period is going to be pretty intense.”

Rennie said the players had received a “pretty brutal review” of their second Test loss.

“We did a lot of good things in that Test but not for long enough,” he said. “We made too many errors and gave their key playmakers time and space and we knew heading in that that would be fatal.

“So, yeah, we’ve got to be better if you leak that many points that’s got to be the focus not some of the things we did do well.”