Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Wallabies tour is over for Samu Kerevi after disciplinary verdict

Australia's Samu Kerevi looks on during last Sunday's Autumn Nations Series win over Wales (Photo by Ian Cook/CameraSport via Getty Images)

Joe Schmidt won’t be able to call on Samu Kerevi for Australia’s Autumn Nations Series game in Scotland this Sunday after the midfielder learned the outcome of his midweek disciplinary hearing. The centre, who was making his 50th Test appearance, was red carded in the opening minute of the second half last Sunday following his collision with Wales’ Jac Morgan at the Principality Stadium.

ADVERTISEMENT

He was initially yellow carded by referee James Doleman, but the tackle was upgraded to a red card offence on review by the TMO bunker. That resulted in him being called to attend a disciplinary hearing on Tuesday evening and the resulting suspension will see him sidelined for three matches, a ban that will be reduced to two on the successful completion of tackle school.

Although Australia’s Autumn Nations Series doesn’t end until the November 30 match versus Ireland, Kerevi was already set to miss that match as the game falls outside the international player release window. That left the 31-year-old scheduled to return to Japan to take part in a Urayasu D-Rocks Rugby League One trial on December 1, but he will now sit out that pre-season hit-out.

Video Spacer

Wallaby coach Joe Schmidt and captain Allan Alaalatoa

Video Spacer

Wallaby coach Joe Schmidt and captain Allan Alaalatoa

A statement read: “Australia number 12 Samu Kerevi appeared before an independent disciplinary committee Tuesday evening via video link having received a 20-minute red card for an act of foul play contrary to law 9.13 in the match between Australia and Wales on Sunday.

“The independent disciplinary committee was chaired by Brenda Heather-Latu (Samoa), joined by former international referee Donal Courtney (Ireland) and former international player Becky Essex (England).

Team Form

Last 5 Games

4
Wins
2
2
Streak
2
26
Tries Scored
16
87
Points Difference
0
4/5
First Try
3/5
3/5
First Points
4/5
4/5
Race To 10 Points
3/5

“The disciplinary committee has upheld the red card issued to the player and by applying World Rugby’s sanctioning provisions, have determined that the mid-range entry point of six weeks/matches was appropriate.

“In light of the player accepting he committed an act of foul play as well as other mitigating factors, such as his clean disciplinary record, his remorse and good conduct, they have applied the full 50 per cent reduction in sanction, thus reducing the final sanction to three weeks/matches.

ADVERTISEMENT

“The player has additionally been given permission to apply to take part in World Rugby’s coaching intervention programme to substitute the final match of their sanction (the Japan Rugby League One fixture) which is aimed at modifying specific techniques and technical issues that contributed to the foul play.”

Related

HSBC SVNS Perth takes place on 24-26 January at HBF Park. Plan your ultimate rugby weekend in Western Australia with the help of flexible travel packages including tickets and accommodation. Buy Now or Find Out More.  

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

7 Comments
M
Mitch 20 days ago

Kerevi dips, the ball carrier has a sudden drop in body height before contact and they still deem that worthy of a send off! Let's get some common sense into these decisions!

C
Cantab 20 days ago

See a lot worse tackles in rugby league, most of which go virtually unpunished. Rugby appears to be over sensitive as most appear to be accidental and do not actually cause injury. Off the ball tackles have more potential for this

M
Mitch 20 days ago

I would say the Northern Hemisphere is over sensitive here. I don't think many people south of equator believe that should be a red card or that the law should stipulate a red card for what Kerevi did. Yellow fair enough I suppose but not red.

W
Willie 20 days ago

Did not even warrant a red.

The IRB or whatever they call themselves is...pathetic.

There will be harder hits in netball soon.

m
mJ 20 days ago

Wow, he was low and the other player dropped. Looked more like a glancing sideways head clash due to players changing direction at speed. He certainly wasn’t upright and it certainly wasn’t intentional. Poor decision.

Load More Comments

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

J
JW 1 hour ago
'It doesn’t make sense for New Zealand to deny itself access to world-class players'

There are a couple of inadequacies in this articles points as well.


First

Robertson, in what he has said publicly, is building his argument for change as a means to close the gap that is increasing between the All Blacks and South Africa.

Based on recent performances, the All Blacks are better than the Springboks.


Second

Both games saw the All Blacks lead coming into the last 30 minutes, only for the momentum to shift dramatically once the two sides emptied their respective benches.

The failings of the second half were game plan related, they happened regardless of whether the bench had yet (play got worse very early in the half, even in the first half) been used or not.


And third

Robertson’s view is that because the Boks don’t lose access to their experienced players when they head offshore, it gives them an advantage

Didn't Razor have the most experienced team all year?


Also

“Sam Cane and Ardie Savea with Wallace Siti, what a balance that is.

This is part of Razor's problem. That's a terrible balance. You instead want something like Sam Cane, Hoskins Sotutu, Wallace Sititi. Or Ardie Savea, Sititi, Scott Barrett. Dalton Papaili'i, Savea, Finau. That is balance, not two old struggling to keep up players and an absolute rookie.

It has changed. Not many go north, more go to Japan, so how do we get the balance right to ensure that players who have given loyalty, longevity and who are still playing well

Experience is a priceless commodity in international rugby and New Zealand has a system where it throws away players precisely when they are at their most valuable.

You mean how do we take advantage of this new environment, because nothing has effectively changed has it. It's simply Japan now instead of Europe. What's it going to be like in the future, how is the new American league going to change things?


Mo'unga is the only real valid reason for debating change, but what's far more important is the wide discussion happening that's taking the whole game into account. The current modem throws players away because they decided to go with a 5 team model rather than a 12 or 14 team model. Players have to be asked to leave at the point were we know they aren't going to be All Blacks, when they are playing their best rugby, reached their peak. In order to reset, and see if the next guy coming through can improve on the 'peak' of the last guy. Of course it's going to take years before they even reach the departing players standards, let alone see if they can pass them.


What if there can be a change that enables New Zealand to have a model were players like Jamison Gibson-Park, James Lowe, Bundee Aki, Chandler Cunningham-South, Ethan Roots, Warner Dearns are All Blacks that make their experienced and youth developemnt the envy of the World. That is the discussion that really needs to be had, not how easy it is to allow Mo'unga to play again. That's how the All Blacks end up winning 3 World Cups in a row.

30 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ 'Razor's conservatism is in danger of halting New Zealand's progress' 'Razor's conservatism is in danger of halting New Zealand's progress'
Search