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Matt Giteau has given his seal of approval to one Wallaby in the post-Folau era
By Josh Raisey
Former Wallabies centurion Matt Giteau has said on Twitter that the departure of Israel Folau has “allowed the birth of Samu Kerevi to play with total freedom”.
The utility back said this during Australia’s 35-17 loss to the Springboks in Johannesburg on Saturday, a game where Kerevi was one of the beaten team’s stand-out performers.
Kerevi had been in superb form all Super Rugby season for the Reds and he carried that to Ellis Park against the Springboks. He was consistently able to break tackles and distribute the ball in contact, providing hope in a losing cause.
A surging run of his almost set Lukhan Salakaia-Loto for a try, but his off-load was slightly forward. That still typified his performance and what he can bring to the team playing at inside centre.
A performance like that was needed, as there have been questions ever since Folau’s contract with Rugby Australia was terminated as to who could provide a spark in the backline.
Dane Haylett-Petty, Reece Hodge and Tom Banks are all great players, but none seem to pose the danger that Folau once did with ball in hand.
Kurtley Beale’s cameo at the end of the game at full-back perhaps suggests that he will start there for the rest of the Rugby Championship and going into the World Cup. The versatile Waratahs back set up Bernard Foley for a try in the second half to give the Wallabies hope late on.
With Beale and Kerevi in the backline - and both in form - Michael Cheika will have less to worry about in filling the void left by Folau. The Wallabies were still comfortably beaten by the Springboks at the weekend but were offered glimmers of hope in the performance, one of which was the 25-year-old Kerevi.
He has been in and out of the starting XV since making his debut in 2016 and is putting his international career on hold after the World Cup, but he looks to have secured the No12 shirt for the next few months.
WATCH: Wallaby coach Michael Cheika speaks to the media following the Australian squad's arrival in Brisbane
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A specialist in hitting smaller guys hard and late. Serial cheap shot merchant who deserves more than the usual token sanction for such actions.
Go to commentsI like to see the Crusaders lose as much as the next non-Crusaders fan, but the fact that most of their best players have not been available this year is being hand waved away like it shouldn’t effect them. It’s no coincidence that their first dominant performance came when they had more of their best players back. This is not rocket science. If they can stay fit their team at the business end of the season will include Tamaiti Williams, Codie Taylor, Fletcher Newell, Scott Barrett, Quentin Strange, Ethan Blackadder and Cullen Grace in the forwards - most of whom have barely, or not played this year. That is an outstanding pack that have not played together this season. McLeod, Havili, Aumua, Reece, and Halfpenny will be a very different prospect behind their first choice pack as well. Having said all that Penney’s record is scratchy at best, but given the players that have left and their injury list I’m reserving judgement. Penney’s appointment, a bit like Foz, has a similar stench of the incumbent having too much say in his replacement. They are lacking a truly high quality and experienced 10 which will make it hard for them to go the whole way IMO, but the list of teams who would want to play them in the finals will be very short.
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