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'It was hurtful': Kerevi on RA's role in Spring Tour shambles and the big barrier to his Super Rugby return

10th November, 2022
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10th November, 2022
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Wallabies star Samu Kerevi has revealed his hurt over the shambolic handling of his Spring Tour withdrawal last year and Rugby Australia’s role in it.

Kerevi, speaking on the Rugby Pass podcast this week, also discussed his future after his contract expires in Japan, saying he couldn’t see where he would fit into a Super Rugby team.

Kerevi and Quade Cooper were involved in a bitter club vs. country wrangle last year when they were named for the Spring Tour but then withdrew. Their selection and subsequent withdrawals was a PR disaster for the Wallabies, and one Rugby Australia was responsible for going on Kerevi’s version of events.

Kerevi said he was upset by the notion that he and Cooper “were doing a disservice to the jersey and didn’t want to be in the jersey.

“That was the most hurtful thing. At the time to hear from Rugby Australia that we had no communication, they knew very well.”

Samu Kerevi poses during the Australian Wallabies 2022 team headshots session on June 24, 2022 in Sunshine Coast, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images for Rugby Australia)

Samu Kerevi. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images for Rugby Australia)

Kerevi said Rugby Australia had been told that he would only be available for The Rugby Championship, which he was called up for after representing the Aussie sevens team at the Tokyo Olympics.

“I was never coming back for Wallabies. I knew I wasn’t available to play Wallabies because of the cap ruling,” Kerevi said.

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“Tim Walsh gave me opportunity to come back and represent the country at sevens. So that’s all I had in my mind was sevens.

“And I spoke to the club [Suntory Sungoliath] about it and they were so happy about it that I got to go back and play in the Olympics.

“After the Olympics I was planning to stay in Japan. I was never coming back home. And then I got a call and told the Wallabies wanted to bring me back in the squad. And I was shocked. I had never spoken to anyone before that.”

He said that coming back for The Rugby Championship meant he wet past his agreed leave time from Suntory.

After that series the Australian selectors picked him for the European tour.

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“I was always going to go back and they knew that,” Kerevi said. “It was hurtful to say that I didn’t want to be in the jersey. I came back yearning to play for Australian and I had an opportunity at sevens.

“And for people to say I didn’t want to come back hurt. We did come back. We just showed how much we wanted to be there and perform.”

He said Cooper was a “big help” in a stressful time.

“He wasn’t really fazed by it. Whereas I was a bit more disappointed, especially with the Aussie media and the way they write things up.”

Kerevi – who is recovering from a long-term injury suffered at the Commonwealth Games – said he had yet to make a decision on his future.

“I’m not closing off anything. I’m really happy here at Suntory with way team’s going and the lifestyle in Japan but I hear there’s a great lifestyle in France and obviously in the UK.

“I hear boys are getting Mercedes for 200 quid a month, and I’m thinking ‘oh boy there’s some nice lease companies.”

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He said he was not “closed off to coming home.”

“The biggest thing about coming home would be where to play,” Kerevi said. “That’s a difficult decision. Every team’s got pretty good centres. Obviously I’d want to come back to the Reds but you’ve got some great centres. Hunter [Paisami’s] already leading the pack.

“I just don’t think there’s any space for me in Rugby Australia in terms of which club to play for. If there was I’d definitely look into it, but at the moment, I’m pretty happy at Suntory.”

He was asked if he’d consider representing his heritage by turning out for Fijian Drua..

“The only thing’s paying the bills at Drua, hey,” he joked.

“It’s something I’ve thought about doing one day. I definitely would love to get back home and just share the experience I’ve had and help with the next generation.”

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