Kerevi says announcement on future "not up to me"

Samu Kerevi may be playing his final home game for the Reds tomorrow night but fans are unlikely to know whether that is definitely the case, with the Queensland captain saying an announcement on his future is “not up to me”.

Kerevi is set to cut ties with the Reds to play in Japan following the World Cup, meaning tomorrow night’s clash against the Blues at Suncorp Stadium could be his last home game.

But asked if he wanted to be able to provide clarity for fans to attend what could be his last home game in Queensland colours, the Reds captain said that decision was not in his hands.

“To be honest, it’s not up to me,” Kerevi said.

“I’m here to serve the team and what’s best for the team, so I’ll do that same tomorrow night.

“I’ll do the same today and I’ll keep serving until that time’s up for me.

“I’m just happy that I’ve had the opportunity to play at Suncorp and this great state I’ve represented.

“Every time I put on a jersey, I play like it’s my last, so tomorrow night won’t be any different.

“It is our last home game, so I’m just excited to put out a performance that my family and I will be proud of and the state will be proud of.

“That’s what the challenge is for me.”

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Kerevi is understood to have linked with Japanese Top League club Suntory for next season, leaving the Reds without a captain and the Wallabies without Super Rugby’s most damaging player, unless an eleventh hour deal is brokered.

It’s a situation which has torn the 25-year-old, who has been a talisman for the state he adopted on arrival from Fiji at age seven.

“It’s probably one of the hardest decisions I’ve had to look at in my whole life,” Kerevi said.

“Queensland has been a massive part of my life, a massive part of my family’s life.

 

“My grandma (in Fiji), she’s always bringing down the house the way she cheers for Queensland.

“It’s always an important part of my life and it always will be.”

But his future is a topic that’s off limits for now.

“I can’t speak too much about it,” he said.

“I’m just focused on this week and all that stuff will come in due time.

“It’s not in my powers to be honest, it’s not up to me.”

Tomorrow night is unlikely to be Kerevi’s last game for Queensland though, despite him only being rested from one Super Rugby clash.

 

While most top Wallabies have been forced out of two Super Rugby matches under Rugby Australia’s workload management policy, Kerevi has missed just one game and is determined to take on the Brumbies next week in the Reds’ final game of the season.

“I’ve had two byes and one game missed, so that’s three games I’ve sat out. So by my calculations, I’ve got a spare game,” he said tongue-in-cheek.

“We’ll see. But next week’s another important game for us against the top of the table at the moment in the Brumbies, so you don’t want to be missing that.”

With the Reds definitely out of finals calculations though, Kerevi’s Super Rugby campaign will end earlier than some of his Wallabies teammates and he may be spared the rest with his season to come to an end next week anyway.

Regardless of what happens in the future, Kerevi is determined to lead Queensland to its first win against a Kiwi side in five years when he Reds face the a Blues team that has had a similar roller-coaster season, at Suncorp Stadium.

“They’re a very talented side, they have a forward pack that’s very skillful and a backline that’s really electric and they’ve got some pretty good experience there as well,” he said.

“It’s been a while (since we’ve beaten a New Zealand side), this year we’ve gone pretty close.

“Against the Highlanders and Crusaders we played really well and on the day they outplayed us in some key areas and key moments.

“We want to go really well in those certain areas and certain moments and be able to execute really well when it comes to the game.”