The Wallabies’ worst fears have come true, with Samu Kerevi likely out for the rest of the year with a knee injury.
Kerevi, 28, is understood to have suffered an ACL injury during Australia’s narrow 7-5 win over Kenya in the weekend’s Commonwealth Games pool game.
Kerevi did not take part in the Australian campaign again, where John Manenti’s team lost to South Africa in the semifinals.
Rugby Australia were wary of details about Kerevi and didn’t want to let the cat out of the bag.
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Kerevi told reporters he feels “fine,” adding, “I’m always confident [to be fit to play] but i will get a doc about it and see. It was just a big bang but once it settled down it was fine.”
However, the Suntory center is expected to miss the rest of the year, with sources confirming the 41-test center is expected to spend at least six months on the brink.
Kerevi is said to be devastated as he believes he has let his teammates down.
The Wallabies were delighted to have Kerevi in Australia’s sevens campaign after the former Queensland Reds captain promised his team-mates from the Tokyo Olympics he would try to help them win gold in Birmingham.
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“It was a tough decision in the end but I gave these guys my word that if I was available I would be back,” Kerevi said News Corp in advance of the games.
“I am blessed enough to be in this position and to be selected for these games. I’m pretty excited about it.
“It is very special to be part of this group and to represent Australia. It’s something I will always, always remember.
“But more than competing, we want to be here and do well and win a medal – win a gold medal. That is our goal and the guys are working hard towards it.”
After appearing in the No 12 shirt in all three Tests against England in July, Kerevi was always ready to miss the opening two games of the Rugby Championship against Michael Cheika’s Argentina due to his Commonwealth Games commitments.
The world-class center should reconnect with the roster ahead of home Tests against the Springboks later this month, but that won’t be the case now.
There was an inherent risk in returning to the sevens program, especially with the extra miles in legs required to succeed in the shortened game, but Wallabies coach Dave Rennie would have sweated on his fitness, he’s that important to him the team.
When announcing the Wallabies’ squad last month, Rennie said Kerevi had his blessing to play in the tournament, adding that that would only have changed if they had pushed themselves to the limit at centre.
“Obviously it was very important that Samu went to the sevens at the Commonwealth Games,” said Rennie.
“The first conversations we had a couple of months ago were that maybe we wouldn’t let him go if we got injured, but it’s important for our country to send away a strong team that has a chance of a medal – and the sevens guys have been doing them well lately and Samu is only going to add to that, so we’re committed to that.
“With Izzy Perese out injured, he (Irae Simone) is only coming to fill a role in the Argentina tour and after that we’ll bring Samu back.”
Kerevi’s long-term injury will put additional pressure on Hunter Paisami to perform, with the Reds center likely to wear the No. 12 shirt on Sunday (AEST) against Los Pumas in Mendoza.
Quade Cooper, meanwhile, is preparing for a recall to the starting XI after missing out on the 2-1 defeat by England after suffering a calf injury while warming up ahead of the opening test.
Kerevi’s absence will allow Rennie to see Cooper working from the outside without his battering ram.
While Cooper won all five games he played in for the Wallabies last year, he benefited from having Kerevi in midfield, who acted as a great defender on his outside.
Without Kerevi’s muscle power to steady the ship if necessary, Cheika’s cougars will no doubt attack Cooper and try to take his place.
Argentina clinched a thrilling 2-1 series win over Scotland in what was Cheika’s first test as a coach after taking over from Mario Ledesma earlier this year.