Samuela Vatuniveivuke Kerevi (born 27 September 1993) is a Fijian-born Australian rugby union player currently playing for Urayasu D-Rocks in the JAPAN RUGBY LEAGUE ONE.[1] His usual position is centre. He previously played for the Queensland Reds in Super Rugby and has played for the Australian national team.[2]
Birth name | Samuela Vatuniveivuke Kerevi | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Date of birth | 27 September 1993 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Viseisei, Fiji | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 186 cm (6 ft 1 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 108 kg (238 lb; 17 st 0 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
School | Brisbane State High School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Notable relative(s) | Radike Samo (cousin) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Samuela Kerevi was born in Viseisei, Fiji. He moved with his family to Australia at aged 4.[3] His father, Nimilote Kerevi, is a former Fiji international soccer player. His brother Josua Kerevi has also played representative rugby.[3]
Kerevi attended Brisbane State High School, and represented Queensland at the Australian Schools Rugby Championships in 2011.[4]
Kerevi obtained Australian citizenship in August 2016.[5]
In 2012, Samu Kerevi (his ref name was Musashi) played Premier Rugby for GPS Old Boys in Brisbane.[6] He was selected alongside his brother Josua in the Fiji Under-20 team for the 2012 IRB Junior World Championship in South Africa.[7] 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.[8]
Kerevi was a member of the ARU's National Academy in 2012 and 2013.[9][10] 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.[2][11]
In July 2013, he signed an extended player squad contract with the Queensland Reds for the 2014 Super Rugby season.[2][12]
In June 2016, he was included in the 33-member Australia team for the 2016 England rugby union tour of Australia.[13] 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.[14] Following the world cup Kerevi signed with Japanese club Suntory Sungoliath who he is currently playing for in the Top League.
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.[15] Full details.