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Wallabies centre Samu Kerevi says he has no intention of quitting international rugby but admits his future with the national team might be left up to the suits as much as coach Eddie Jones.
Rugby Australia has both the world’s longest to-do list, and its biggest too-hard basket. In the second category, you can put the shambolic Giteau Law, which was for all intents and purposes abandoned in France.
But the uncertainty surrounding it, and so many other facets of the game as state unions bicker about the need for centralisation, at a time the Wallabies are on the brink of a worst-ever World Cup campaign, filters right down to playing level.
Earlier this week, World Cup captain Will Skelton said he had no idea if he would be picked for next season’s Tests due to playing club football in France, while it’s a similar situation for Kerevi. Who can blame him when he shrugs: “If you get the call-up, you get the call-up. If you don’t, I’ll take my three months break and enjoy that.”
Kerevi, 30, was out of the game for nine months after a knee reconstruction from being injured at the Commonwealth Games. A hamstring strain and then a hand injury, suffered against New Zealand in Dunedin, have all left him short of peak fitness in France.
In a team built around youth in key areas, Kerevi’s inability to play at his best has contributed to the team’s woes.
Samu Kerevi. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
“I don’t think I performed where I wanted to perform at a World Cup. The strength and conditioning staff, John Pryor, who has been awesome getting me back fit and the medical team around that, had full belief in me,” Kerevi told reporters.
“But I hold myself to high standards and I just felt like I could have helped the team more in certain aspects.”
He said his issues were more with “game awareness” than fitness.
“I’ve been out of the game for nine months but I felt good coming into it, playing the BaaBaas games and even the Test matches beforehand.
“I felt good in some aspects. But I just felt like I was blowing a bit.”
Kerevi was full of praise for how his under-fire coach Jones helped him prepare for the tournament. Jones says he’s committed to the next World Cup cycle but there is a sense that the story has plenty more twists to come before the Aussies next assemble post-World Cup.
“Oh man, he’s had a great impact on me in terms of instilling confidence. You know, he’s put a great staff around us,” Kerevi said.
“For the first time, we’ve had a lot of staff where different places where they contribute, physically, mentally, psychology-wise.
“I thought he’s put that professionalism around the Wallabies even more now. Just to help get the best out of us, I can only commend him for that.
“As you come back from an ACL recon, there’s a lot of doubts that go through your mind and your abilities, but he just kept instilling a lot of positive thoughts in my mind and even showing that in terms of data, the way I train, all the numbers – just crunching it to just understand I was back to where I was and it’s just the final piece of actually playing footy.”
He reflected on the “battles” between Jones “and the media” and said the players accepted the struggles in France were on them. He also had a clear message for fans who have turned on Jones.
“In the inner sanctum, we know what he does for us as a team and everyone can point a finger at him and he’ll cop it.
“We respect the fans but they are not on the field with us. We’ve got to do it. We’ve got a job there, we love their support and they’re so passionate about the gold jersey as we are. But understand that he (Jones) works tirelessly behind the scenes.
“He’s up at 4 a.m. working hard. We catch him in the gym, he’s working hard, and I swear he doesn’t even sleep.
“Seriously, the amount of time he puts into effort, into his staff, into the players, always has time for us to get around. And I think fans don’t see that.
“We didn’t get the results. We didn’t perform the way we wanted to as a team and it’s not on Eddie – it’s on all of us.
“I understand what the fans feel and they’re just passionate and it’s awesome to have that. But no one realises what goes on inside camp. No one realises the things that we’re working on tirelessly – but especially him and the staff f–king work so hard, bro.
“They’re away from families, they’re sacrificing as well and sometimes… I don’t read into the comment stuff, but the young boys hear a lot that’s going on, social media and stuff. But I don’t think people really understand demons everyone’s fights.
“Eddie’s a human as well and at the end of the day it’s a result-driven sport. But he’s committed to us and we love that about him.”
Wallabies coach Eddie Jones. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
It wasn’t just results that turned a tide of public opinion against Jones. The reports that he did an interview for the Japan job – which Jones has denied – had many questioning his loyalty.
The incident dominated press conferences and players were swept up on the storm. But Kerevi said he saw no perceptible change in the coach despite the additional pressure.
“We haven’t seen it as a playing staff. He’s come in, committed every day. The way he talks to us, the way he prepares us, the language he uses to prepare for next week,” said Kerevi.
“He hasn’t thought about going home, he’s thought about how we can contribute best and that’s what we’ve done these last three days. I feel for him, you know, like as a head coach, you maybe can’t show that side of himself.
“But, he’s been so strong for us and gives us strength to just be positive. And again, we put ourselves in this situation.”
As the campaign lurched Jones began to talk more about building for the future rather than a smash and grab on the 2023 edition. How does that sit with a 30-year-old Kerevi who must be at long odds to go around again in 2027?
“He’s obviously thinking ahead as well, but we came into the campaign thinking and wanting to win and that’s what his thoughts were,” said Kerevi.
“He said it takes time to build a championship team but he has full belief in us to win the World Cup this year. Don’t get it mixed up because that’s what his thoughts are.
“Again, he may say that to you guys [reporters], but in camp, he speaks about the belief to win this World Cup and we had that in our mindset coming in.
“Results didn’t go our way so obviously it’s a great learning lesson for our group. There’s a big group that’s their first World Cup, so to go through this fire, it can only come out one way in the end.”
As for his future with the Wallabies, Kerevi adds: “I guess next year if Eddie wants me back, I’ll put my hand up but I’ve got responsibilities for my club in Japan (Urayasu D-Rocks).
“I can’t control the selection of the coaches for next year,” he says, but retirement “hasn’t been on my mind.
“It’s more just being kind to my body, this next couple of months. Again, I wasn’t happy with my performances in some aspects, so I’m just getting to back-to-back games, back in Japan and getting the confidence to play my game again.
“I don’t have any control over how they do the laws and that. All I’ve always thought about is my performance.
“I can only contribute positively and if, in the end, it wasn’t enough I’ve got to understand the situation.
“I chose to leave Australian shores and understand the ruling around that and what it holds. I’ve got to perform for my club first.
“My performance is solely to be the best player I can be for the team, be the best leader, teammate. Outside of that, I can’t control.”
Also out of his control, is the final act in Australia’s production of Les Miserables.
The team of his heritage – Fiji are expected to advance past Portugal and eliminate the Wallabies, who had what could be their final session on Saturday in front of a packed house of locals, while speakers pumped out rock classics.
“It’s an awesome opportunity for them to make quarter-finals and it’s looking good for them,” said Kerevi of Fiji.
“We’ve only got ourselves to blame, we put ourselves in this position.
“We’ve just got to prepare our best and we can’t control the outcomes. That’s the one thing we’ve spoken about in our preparation for next week if it comes, if it doesn’t, at least we put ourselves in the best position to do that.
“Our results and the way we played, put ourselves in this position. So the team understands that, and we have our belief in anything’s possible at the World Cup.
“But also, we understand how strong Fiji is. And I’m proud of them as a proud nation. I’ll be proud of it either way it goes. We’ll be ready if it comes our way.”