Super Rugby: Samu Kerevi stars as Reds pull off stunning success over Sharks in South Africa

A driven Samu Kerevi inspired the first Queensland victory in Durban for 15 years to raise the impossible question: “Just when can the Reds afford to rest him?”

Harry Hockings pushes away from the Sharks defence.

Update: A driven Samu Kerevi inspired the first Queensland victory in Durban for 15 years to raise the impossible question: “Just when can the Reds afford to rest him?”

They can’t because 10-point underdogs only win at Kings Park with irresistible man-of-the-match displays like the one their captain uncorked early on Saturday morning.

The 21-14 droughtbreaker against the Sharks was a triumph of willpower, big defence, flashes of try-scoring brilliance and coach Brad Thorn’s youth policy coming to life in the pack.

A gamebreaker like centre Kerevi ignited it all – in a match he had been earmarked to sit out as part of the workload management plan devised for top Wallabies.

Harry Hockings pushes away from the Sharks defence.

It was postponed because his absence would have left too much of a void for a Reds side desperate to bounce back from an awful 32-17 crash-landing in Pretoria six days earlier.

Who else was going to power through 15 ball-carries for 95m, make two linebreaks, pinball through seven tackles, set up two tries and inspire for 80 minutes?

“Samu has been huge for us,” said flanker Liam Wright, who finished his best game of the season by earning a forced penalty at the tackle to shut down the Sharks’ final attack.

“He puts us on his back every week.

Samu Kerevi was inspirational in the surprise win.

“After how bad we were against the Bulls, he gave up his rest to play for us and keep putting in for an awesome win.

“We wanted to play for him.”

That’s nine straight games, with just five minutes off, for Kerevi. His body will enjoy next weekend’s bye break more than anyone.

Thorn will definitely play his trump in the Reds’ four remaining Australian Conference games and home dates at Suncorp Stadiumso that leaves just the visit to Hamilton to play the Chiefs on May 24 as a rest weekend.

The Reds were switched on from the outset in Durban with impressive lock Izack Rodda deflecting the opening Sharks’ lineoutthrow into a chance for young hooker Alex Mafi to sprint 25m.

JP Smith charges into the Sharks defence.

Flyhalf Bryce Hegarty capitalised by spearing between two forwards for 7-0 inside two minutes.

Kerevi turned it into the best start of the season at 14-0 when he bumped through and popped a fine try-making ball to centre partner Chris Feauai-Sautia.

Kerevi dished another quality offload to his former Brisbane State High schoolmate to trigger the excellent second half tryfor standout halfback Tate McDermott.

Thorn’s backing of the Department of Youth had one of its biggest pay-offs in the pack.

Mafi, Taniela Tupou, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Rodda, Angus Scott-Young and Wright should cherish this win as part of their coming of age and will always be able to laugh at rookie prop Harry Hoopert, 20, sharing the party with an odd mohawk.

Half Tate McDermott was one of the stars of the Reds success.

“We didn’t want to get on the plane home without something to take with us,” Thorn said.

“I’m proud that seven of the eight in our starting pack were 20 to 22 and there’s an exciting future there with them.

Just 20, McDermott had a mature game. He varied his impact too with several fine kicks for territory, sure passing to hisball runners and his ever-present backing up for the decisive try.

The win keeps the Reds (18 points) in the hunt in the Australian Conference, with a 4-5 win-loss record, but celebrating theteam’s first victory in South Africa since 2015 came first.

REDS 21 (T McDermott, B Hegarty, C Feauai-Sautia tries; B Hegarty 2 conv, H Stewart conv) bt SHARKS 14 (K van Vuuren, D du Preez tries; C Bosch conv, R du Preez conv)

Originally published as Super Rugby: Samu Kerevi stars as Reds pull off stunning success over Sharks in South Africa