Injured Kerevi’s Test heartbreak as Reds run down by Blues

SHATTERED centre Samu Kerevi is almost certain to miss his dream Test against Fiji after an ankle injury compounded the Reds nailbiting loss to the Blues in steamy Samoa.

The Reds clawed back from a ragged 12- 0 deficit to lead 29- 27 with seven minutes to play as they sought to snap Australia’s 0- 20 streak against Kiwi rivals in Super Rugby this year.

The script from there was a painful rerun of so many tight finishes in recent years because the Auckland- based Blues seized the final breakaway try for a 34- 29 clincher.

Kerevi could only squirm with emotional highs and lows from the bench on the sideline with his left ankle in ice after the leg was buckled under a Blues tackler after just nine minutes.

The one upside is that the surgery the Reds skipper underwent last October was on his right ankle but the forecast is still not good for a recovery in time to play for the Wallabies against his native Fiji in Melbourne in a week.

The Reds were remarkably spirited to fight back from 12- 0 down without their No. 1 ballrunner and tackle- buster on the field but they found four good tries without him.

There was a huge amount of dropped ball from both sides but the humid 28C temperatures made the ball a cake of soap that both sides had troub- le controlling at times during the match.

Reds coach Nick Stiles spoke only a week ago of waiting for “Tongan Thor” to have his moment and this was it.

The 129kg Taniela Tupou smashed over for two tries close to the ruck as the Reds, at last, stuck to a game plan of punishing the Blues’ inconsistent defence close to the ruck.

He made several other charges on a soaring night to celebrate Samoan rugby’s first taste of Super Rugby in the professional era.

No. 8 Scott Higginbotham was a standout for the Queensland team and utility Jake McIntyre tackled like a demon playing out of position as cover for the injured Kerevi for 70 minutes