Samu Kerevi

Samu Kerevi
Kerevi with Tokyo Sungoliath in 2021
BornSamuela Vatuniveivuke Kerevi
(1993-09-27) 27 September 1993
Viseisei, Ba Province, Fiji
Height186 cm (6 ft 1 in)[1]
Weight106 kg (234 lb; 16 st 10 lb)[1]
SchoolBrisbane State High School
Notable relatives
Rugby union career
Position Centre[a]
Current team Urayasu D-Rocks
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
–2013 GPS (55)
Correct as of [2][3]
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2014–2017 Brisbane City 19 (70)
2020–2023 Suntory Sungoliath 29 (70)
2023– Urayasu D-Rocks 42 (110)
Correct as of 31 May 2026
Super Rugby
Years Team Apps (Points)
2014–2019 Queensland Reds 73 (130)
Correct as of 15 June 2019
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2012 Fiji U20 5 (15)
2016– Australia 50 (50)
Correct as of 17 November 2024
National sevens team
Years Team Comps
2021–2022 Australia 2
Correct as of 31 July 2022

Samuela Vatuniveivuke Kerevi (born 27 September 1993) is an Australian rugby union player currently playing for Urayasu D-Rocks in the Japan Rugby League One (JRLO).[4][5] His usual position is centre. He previously played for the Queensland Reds in Super Rugby and has played for the Australian national team.[6]

Family and early life

Samuela Kerevi was born in Viseisei, Fiji.[7] He moved with his family to Australia at aged 4.[8] His father, Nimilote Kerevi, is a former Fiji international soccer player. His brother Josua Kerevi has also played representative rugby.[8]

Kerevi attended Brisbane State High School, and represented Queensland at the Australian Schools Rugby Championships in 2011.[9]

Kerevi obtained Australian citizenship in August 2016.[10]

Rugby career

In 2012, Samu Kerevi (his ref name was Musashi) played Premier Rugby for GPS Old Boys in Brisbane.[11] He was selected alongside his brother Josua in the Fiji Under-20 team for the 2012 IRB Junior World Championship in South Africa.[12] In the opening pool match against Wales, he scored the first try of the tournament and he followed that up with a double against Samoa.[13]

Kerevi was a member of the ARU's National Academy in 2012 and 2013.[14][15] He was selected for Australia Under-20 to play in the 2013 IRB Junior World Championship in France, but was unable to take part due to a shoulder injury.[6][16]

In July 2013, he signed an extended player squad contract with the Queensland Reds for the 2014 Super Rugby season.[6][17]

In June 2016, he was included in the 33-member Australia team for the 2016 England rugby union tour of Australia.[18] He made his debut at inside centre against England, in the defeat in Brisbane. Australia would go on to be white-washed in the series 3–0.

Kerevi continues to play regularly for the Australian team and featured in their squad for the 2019 Rugby World Cup.[19] Following the world cup Kerevi signed with Japanese club Suntory Sungoliath who play in the Top League.[20]

Kerevi was a member of the Australian men's rugby seven's squad at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. The team came third in their pool round and then lost to Fiji 19-nil in the quarterfinal.[21]

Following the Conclusion of the 2021 season, Kerevi was nominated for the 2021 World Rugby Men's 15s Player of the Year award, with France scrum-half Antoine Dupont ultimately winning the award.[22]

Notes

  1. ↑ Kerevi has played both inside (No. 12) and outside centre (No. 13). Overall, he has played more at inside centre (No. 12).

References

  1. 1 2 "Samu Kerevi (2024–25) | Japan Rugby League One". league-one.jp. Japan Rugby League One. Archived from the original on 16 June 2025.
  2. ↑ Pentony, Luke (3 July 2014). "Queensland Reds name Samu Kerevi for Super Rugby run-on debut against Western Force". ABC News. His bulldozing runs were a feature of his play for GPS in the 2013 Queensland Premier Rugby competition, scoring 11 tries including one in the grand final loss to Easts.
  3. ↑ Lutton, Phil (3 July 2014). "Reds rookie Samu Kerevi unlocks right code". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Kerevi was hand-picked from Premier Rugby after scoring 11 tries for GPS in the 2013 season.
  4. ↑ Williamson, Nathan (12 January 2026). "Aussies Abroad: Kerevi continues Japanese dominance, Gleeson makes injury return in thrilling win". Archived from the original on 19 February 2026. Retrieved 22 July 2026.
  5. ↑ "Samu Kerevi confirms Japan deal". ESPN.com. 13 June 2019. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  6. 1 2 3 "Kerevi Signs with Reds". fijirugby.com. 1 August 2013. Archived from the original on 1 November 2013. Retrieved 4 November 2013.
  7. ↑ Tucker, Jim (20 September 2018). "Samu Kerevi re-signs with St. George Queensland Reds for 2019". qld.rugby. Queensland Rugby Union.
  8. 1 2 "Sorovaki names Fiji U20s team for Wales". fijilive.com. 4 June 2012. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  9. ↑ "Queensland Schoolboys Teams 2011". QRFSU. Archived from the original on 29 September 2011. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  10. ↑ Pandaram, Jamie. "After a long battle, Wallaby Samu Kerevi finally gains Australian citizenship". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 14 October 2016.
  11. ↑ "Musashi High Performer of the Week". redsrugby.com.au. 2011. Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  12. ↑ Narawa, Emoni (31 May 2012). "Brothers in arms". Fiji Times. Archived from the original on 4 November 2013. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  13. ↑ "Kerevi, Simolo rated in top 20". Fiji Broadcast Corporation. 19 June 2012. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  14. ↑ "National Academy U19 match at Ballymore on Saturday". redsrugby.com.au. 10 October 2012. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  15. ↑ "Australia's next generation set to face Reds College XV". rugby.com.au. 13 April 2013. Archived from the original on 4 November 2013. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  16. ↑ "Australian Under 20s Squad". rugby.com.au. 2013. Archived from the original on 14 October 2013. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  17. ↑ Tucker, Jim (23 July 2013). "Reds need to rework style to return to top of Australian rugby pile". Courier-Mail. Archived from the original on 22 July 2013. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  18. ↑ "Wallabies v England Test series: Stirling Mortlock on centre dilemma". Fox Sports. 3 June 2016. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  19. ↑ "Wallabies place faith in experience for World Cup bid". www.abc.net.au. 22 August 2019. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  20. ↑ "Samu Kerevi confirms Japan deal". ESPN.com. 14 June 2019. Archived from the original on 26 April 2025. Retrieved 22 July 2026.
  21. ↑ "Australian Olympic Team for Tokyo 2021". The Roar. Retrieved 6 April 2022.
  22. ↑ worldrugby.org. "World Rugby Awards 2021: Men's and Women's 15s Player of the Year unveiled | World Rugby". Archived from the original on 13 December 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2026.
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