Parents’ blessing
HE’S shaping as one of the stars of this World Cup.
But if Samu Kerevi plays a hand in Australia bringing home the Webb Ellis Cup, it will be due in no small part to the parents that granted their blessing for the Wallabies centre to turn out for Australia.
Sai and Nimi Kerevi have made many sacrifices in a bid to give their son a better life.
Battling for a good quality of life for their family in the Fijian village of Viseisei, just north of Nadi, they made the tough decision to farewell their son almost 20 years ago as he headed to the Solomon Islands with his grandparents.
But a coup there — and then another in Fiji as they were on their way back — left him making a new life in Australia.
“We stopped in Australia, luckily and I’ve been blessed enough to be able to do what I have to do and reach the goals that I have now, so I’m really excited to be here,” Kerevi said before leaving for the World Cup.
“I was raised by my grandparents, my mum and dad still live in Fiji and they had to let me have an opportunity for a better life.
“My family was doing it really tough back in Fiji at that time and it was a lot different, the environment that they had, but now I’m really grateful that God’s come into our lives and changed that for my family and it’s just awesome to have the opportunities that I do have here in Australia.
“That was a big reason why I play so hard, for family and for Australia, that’s given me so much.”
Rugby is a religion in Fiji and while he did not start playing until he was in Austraalia, Kerevi already had a love of the game.
“You’re kind of born with it in Fiji, it’s kind of everywhere,” he said.
“But the first time I played rugby was here in Australia, for Souths, when I was about seven years old and started playing footy there.
“That’s where my love grew and just the enjoyment of playing footy.
“My grandfather used to give me a cheeseburger every time I scored a try, so I got pretty big when I was young if I scored too many tries.
“One cheeseburger for one try — four tries was a Big Mac. So I always tried for a Big Mac, so that’s where the enjoyment came.”
The burger king was getting noticed and turned out for Fiji in the U20 world championships before representing the Junior Wallabies the following year.
But it was after his first year of Super Rugby that the nationality debate became serious for Kerevi after he was selected in the Wallabies squad.
“Fiji will always be home for me. I played for Fiji in the U20 World Cup and it was the following year I got selected for the Junior Wallabies U20s,” he said.
“In 2015, I got selected to the (Wallabies) squad. I didn’t play a game but I got selected to the squad in my first year of Super Rugby and I called mum and dad and asked them if it was okay if I played for Aussie.”
Having well and truly satisfied citizenship requirements, Kerevi did not need his parents’ permission. But it was a mark of respect.
My family was doing it really tough back in Fiji at that time and it was a lot different, the environment that they had, but now I’m really grateful that God’s come into our lives and changed that for my family and it’s just awesome to have the opportunities that I do have here in Australia – Samu Kerevi