Queensland expected to rest star Samu Kerevi for crucial clash with Chiefs

The Reds are walking the finals tightrope after their win over the Sunwolves but will be forced to rest Samu Kerevi for at least one of their crucial upcoming matches.

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - MAY 03: Samu Kerevi of the Reds passes during the round 12 Super Rugby match between the Reds and the Sunwolves at Suncorp Stadium on May 03, 2019 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images for SUNWOLVES)

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Matchwinner Samu Kerevi will be rested for the Reds’ May 24 date in New Zealand as the Queenslanders plot how to optimise their one-man passport to the Super Rugby finals.

Just when can the Reds afford to give their captain a break was again a hot topic after his imposing final hour in Friday night’s ragged 32-26 win over Japan’s Sunwolves.

The puzzle is pretty simple...no Kerevi, no finals yet he has to miss one of the six remaining games under the Wallabies’ workload management policy.

Commonsense dictates he must play every home game at Suncorp Stadium and every Aussie Conference game so that puts a neon sign on bypassing the visit to Hamilton to play the Chiefs.

Kerevi was in great touch on Friday. Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images.

The Reds are on a dire run of 12 straight losses on Kiwi soil anyway so that makes it even more obvious when a Kerevi-less Reds team will take the field.

Sunwolves coach Tony Brown said it for all of the Reds’ conference rivals when highlighting Kerevi’s influence as the first player to run for 1000m this season.

“He’s probably the form midfield back in Australia,” former All Black Brown said.

“Our plan 100 per cent was to stop him...if you stop him you stop their game.

“We just couldn’t quite do it for long enough and you can’t with 12 or 13 players on the park.

“We’re at Lang Park aren’t we so the (rugby league playing) numbers were quite fitting.”

Kerevi must be rested for at least one game before the end of the season. Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images.

The Melbourne Rebels, on Friday in Melbourne, NSW Waratahs (May 18) and ACT Brumbies (June 15) will all have “Stop Kerevi” plans they hope can limit his impact which puts the onus on the Reds to be clever in how they use him.

In successive lineout plays against the Sunwolves, the Reds used outside centre Chris Feauai-Sautia in the crash ball role so they could free up Kerevi for runs on the next phase.

Thankfully, Reds coach Brad Thorn saw the same unsophisticated, error-prone game on the field as 8600 fans did.

“It’s four points (for a win) is my only comment but winning ugly is better than losing ugly,” Thorn said.

Brown had empathy but had to say that Australian referee Angus Gardner didn’t have his best night with five yellow cards and a red card for Reds lock Harry Hockings.

Queensland can’t afford to lose Kerevi. AAP Image/Dan Peled.

“Look, the refs are under just as much pressure as the players with World Cup spots coming up,” Brown said.

“They are all wanting to do well but the referees didn’t handle the game very well which created the spectacle that you saw.

“I think it’s one of the first times I’ve seen Angus Gardner under pressure and he didn’t handle that well.

“He’ll look back and learn from it which is no different to any rugby player who plays the game.”

Hockings can expect to face the judiciary and even an accidental back heel to the face of Sunwolves No. 8 Rahboni Warren-Vosayaco, who was grabbing his leg, suggests a suspension for reckless play.