Unfinished business for Samu Kerevi after 2019 heartbreak
Suntory centre Samu Kerevi says he still has “unfinished business” in Australian rugby after a “heartbreaking” 2019.
Kerevi had one of his best international seasons in 2019 and while the Wallabies had some highlights, including a scintillating opening Bledisloe Cup Test win in Perth, they failed to claim back the trans-Tasman silverware or progress past the World Cup quarterfinals.
The 26-year-old Fijian described the 2019 season as “heartbreaking”, particularly in their second Bledisloe Test defeat at Eden Park last year.
“That was heartbreaking, the Bledisloe was heartbreaking for me,” he said. “I felt for us as a team we were really finding our rhythm and for us to lose like that in Eden Park, because everyone felt like you
could never win there and we just kind of said, ‘Yes’, to it because of the way we lost, it’s like, ‘Yeah it’s true’.”
“It’s hard and credit to the ABs, they’re an unreal team. obviously they didn’t go where they wanted to go at the World Cup but it was tough to lose like that in New Zealand and then to lose like that at the World Cup was even more heartbreaking,
that really sucked as a footy player and as a teammate
with those boys.
“Just knowing how much
the boys had put in, how much sacrifice they’d put
in not just on the field but off the field, how much sacrifice they had for their families and not to be with their families
and kids.
“I’m lucky I don’t have kids but my partner and my family not seeing me for months on end, I
know it was harder for them and their kids and then to come up short like that it’s definitely unfinished business and you want to have another crack.
“The awesome thing about the Bledisloe it’s basically every year so you want that cup and you want that Championship. It’s always felt like it’s unfinished business.”
Kerevi has been open about his desire to return to the Test arena but in making a decision to head to Japan has been at peace with Australia’s eligibility rules.