Kerevi‘s shock Wallabies comeback

SAMU Kerevi has earnt a stunning Wallabies recall, with the former Queensland Reds captain to start at inside centre for Australia in Sunday’s Bledisloe Cup clash.

Kerevi played the most recent of his 33 Tests in the Wallabies’ 2019 World Cup quarter-final loss to England before moving to Japan to continue his club career with Suntory Sungoliath.

Kerevi made his return to the green and gold in Townsville in June when he ran out for the Australian sevens side at the Oceania Championships, a warm-up before the Tokyo Olympics.

Having impressed Rennie on the training paddock, 27-year-old Kerevi will start in the centres in Perth as a replacement for Hunter Paisami, who has left the Wallabies camp to return to Queensland for the birth of his child.

“He’s been excellent,” Rennie last week said of Kerevi.

“He’s obviously played over in Suntory. A good mate of mine, Jason O’halloran, coaches over there. He gave me some really positive feedback around Samu, his preparation and the detail around trying to be better each day, and we’re seeing evidence of that in our squad.”

Kerevi could return to Townsville in the green and gold again this month when the Wallabies play in a historic Test doubleheader on September 25.