Kerevi rest has to wait

SAMU Kerevi is due a game off under the Wallabies’ rest policy yet the matchwinner won’t be taking one until he’s smashed the ceiling that has crushed the Queensland Reds for five seasons.

Brad Thorn’s Queenslanders don’t have to conquer the world or even the whole southern hemisphere to rise again as a Super Rugby force.

It’s how ordinary the Reds have performed in derby games against Aussie rivals that has been their biggest balland-chain since the club last made the finals in 2013.

Winning derbies like tomorrow night’s crunch clash against Will Genia’s Melbourne Rebels at Suncorp Stadium all but carries double points ... you jump and your conference rivals flatline.

The stats are diabolical ... the Reds have won just 10 of 36 derbies since the start of the 2014 season which converts to a paltry 28 per cent.

Coach Thorn is turning the tide ever so slightly with three wins from his eight derbies (38 per cent) at the helm.

Frontline Wallabies Will Genia, Bernard Foley, Kurtley Beale, Adam Coleman, Jack Dempsey and Izack Rodda will all have had designated games off by the end of this round while Scott Sio, Allan Alaalatoa and Dane Haylett-Petty have had spells through injuries.

Only Israel Folau and Michael Hooper, the non-stop NSW duo, and Kerevi are yet to be rotated out of the action.

Skipper Kerevi leads his side in runs (59), metres gained (514), tackle busts (26), linebreaks (7) and try assists (3) so the momentum he creates for the Reds is indispensable.

The centre is certain to push through the home games against the Rebels and Stormers (April 5) before skipping one of the two South African tour games next month.

The Reds have had a shakeup in the front-row with prop Feao Fotuaika out for up to six weeks with a broken thumb.

Wallaby Taniela Tupou finds himself on the bench, part through rotation and part because of a few missed tackles and two handling blunders that cost tries against the Brumbies.

The Rebels have switched Wallaby utility Reece Hodge from wing to fullback to get him more involved in attack.