Building a legacy: Why Samu Kerevi chose to put his Wallabies career on hold and move to Japan
Rugby fans were understandably fairly shocked when it was announced that Wallabies midfielder Samu Kerevi would be heading overseas at the end of 2019.
Just 26 years old at the time, Kerevi still had plenty to offer to Australia rugby – at all levels of the game.
Kerevi, who exited the World Cup with just 33 international caps to his name, was ruling himself out of selection for the test side for the upcoming future and effectively semi-retiring from international rugby.
And for what?
Kerevi signed with Suntory Sungoliath, a Japanese club team based out of west Tokyo, home to the likes of Matt Giteau, Tevita Li and Kotaro Matsushima.
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No doubt, the money on offer in Japan far trumped anything that Rugby Australia could throw at the growing superstar and the less rigorous Top League schedule would appeal to just about any rugby player trying to make the most out of their career – plus, getting to experience a culture as rich as Japan’s would be enticing for anyone.
But, surely that would come at the cost of the Reds captain asserting himself as not just one of the best Wallabies of all time, but one of the best midfielders to grace the game – alongside men like of Brian O’Driscoll, Stirling Mortlock and Tana Umaga.
For Samu Kerevi, however, the decision didn’t come down to money, the schedule or the change in culture – it was much simpler than that.
“I had to really think about what I wanted, in terms of legacy and family,” Kerevi told RugbyPass three months into his new contract in Japan.
“In the end, I made the call that wanting to be the best centre in the world and the best centre in Queensland had to take a backseat and I had to put my family first.”
Kerevi has two brothers, Josua and Jone.
Both live in Japan, with Josua living up north in Akita and playing rugby for the Northern Bullets, and Jone studying and playing rugby at Tenrei University near Osaka.
While anyone would want to move closer to their siblings if the opportunity presented itself, Kerevi is a particularly special case, having spent the better part of his life separated from his brothers.
Josua and Jone spent their early lives in Fiji while Samu relocated as young child to Brisbane with his grandparents.
“I call my grandparents mum and dad because they’ve raised me since I was a baby,” Kerevi said.
“My grandfather actually named me and he was the first one to hold me when I was born so that’s why I have that relationship with him.
“We actually moved from Fiji to the Solomon Islands and there was a coup that happened there so we got evacuated. We had to leave everything in the Solomon Islands with my grandparents’ family.
“Then, there was also a coup in Fiji so we weren’t allowed back there either.”
Kerevi and his family boarded a New Zealand military aircraft and they and the rest of the passengers started making plans for life in NZ but that’s not where the plane was destined to land.
Instead, the aircraft touched down in Brisbane – something all Wallabies fans will be thankful for.
Kerevi and his grandparents had nothing when they arrived except for the clothes on their backs and turned to the Salvation Army for help.
The Wallabies will play Fiji in a region not visited by Test rugby for 17 years. https://t.co/SzUfJJ0NPx
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 14, 2020
It was a tough time for his whole family – but not something that a pre-school aged Samu Kerevi could even begin to truly appreciate.
“When I was young, I didn’t even know what was going on,” Kerevi said.
“Leaving my parents and brothers behind was tough, but it’s probably not until I grew up and started to go back home and see the struggle that my family went through that I really appreciated it.”
Spending more than 20 years away from home would make anyone yearn for the brotherhood that they missed out on growing up and Kerevi is no exception.
In particular, Kerevi was disappointed that he wasn’t able to offer a helping hand in raising his younger brother, Jone.
“I didn’t get to teach him things like how to fight, shave or how to ride a bike – big brother lessons, you know?” said Kerevi.
“I don’t want to miss any more of my little brother’s growth. He’s basically his own man now and it’s sad for me that I didn’t have much input into that.
“There are little things that most brothers get to do that I missed out on.
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“So that’s why I’m here. I want to contribute anything I can for him.”
That doesn’t mean the move to Japan has been easy for the Fijian-born blockbuster – he’s had to move away from the man who has raised him since he was a little boy.
“The hardest part for me to leave Australia behind was him,” Kerevi said of his granddad.
“We’ve lived together since I was a baby but it’s been just the two of us since my grandmother passed away [in 2013]. This year is the first time I’ve been away from him – I’d sometimes not see him for a few weeks when I went away on tour but it’s different now.
“I used to come home from training with the Reds and he’d have a cooked dinner waiting and we’d just watch Netflix together. It’s crazy not to have that normality anymore with him but thank God for technology.”
Fifteen years ago, the number of players that left Australia and New Zealand for other countries paled in comparison to numbers that are leaving now.
That’s partly to do with the finances on offer but the fact that someone can move away from home and still keep in regular contact has also made heading off-shore considerably easier.
That’s exactly what Kerevi’s found since leaving Brisbane.
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“I can still FaceTime my grandad,” Kerevi said.
“He’s still learning – I FaceTime him and he has his camera up to his ear. He’s still getting along with technology.
“I introduced him to Netflix back in Australia and it just blows his mind.
“I try to call him and sometimes he hangs up on me because he’s watching Netflix. I’m going to delete his subscription if he doesn’t answer my calls.”
Whilst Kerevi’s ultimatum may have been a joke, it shows how seriously the Wallaby treats his commitments to his family.
It’s clear that although the move away from Kerevi’s adopted home has been tough, he’s still thriving in his new role as a readily on-call big brother.
“[Jone] came back from Fiji a couple of days ago,” Kerevi said.
“We just jammed Call of Duty [one of the Kerevis’ favourite past times] all night, I cooked him some ribs. It made me really happy.
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“To be able to do that for my little brother is the whole reason I’m here.”
And what does Kerevi’s newfound role as big brother mean for his rugby future?
At present, Wallabies representatives need to have accrued 60 caps before they’re able to continue to be selected for the national side if they’re based overseas.
Kerevi is well under that required number of caps, but rumours are that the ‘Giteau Law’ could be amended in the future.
That might not be the only way that Kerevi finds himself playing for Australia again, however.
“The Wallabies jersey has always been in my heart,” Kerevi said.
“It’s something I always want to aspire to. I just don’t know what the future holds at the moment, I’m just trying to focus on day to day.
“My little brother is at university here for the next few years, which runs parallel to my contract.
“Spending three years here is not a bad way to replenish the body, relax the body and get it going again.”
Still, there are things more important to Samu Kerevi than clocking up more mileage with the Wallabies – which is exactly why he made the move to Japan in the first place.
“The legacy is important… but I don’t care about how others perceive me,” Kerevi said.
“My family know the sacrifices I’ve made and what I’m going to do for them – making sure my mum and dad don’t have to work as much in their life, making sure they’re settled and my granddad is settled.
“At this moment, that’s more important to me now.
“Whenever the time’s right, I’ll have those conversations [about returning home] but I’m just leaving it in God’s hands.
“Right now, I’m enjoying my time here and enjoying the ride.”
WATCH: Samu Kerevi’s fellow World Cup Wallaby James Slipper made the call earlier this year to re-sign with the Brumbies.
Comments on RugbyPass
The rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
76 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
9 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
9 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
9 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
9 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
9 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
2 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to comments