Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii in Wallabies recall after Samu Kerevi banned for Grand Slam campaign
Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii is set for a hasty recall to the Wallabies starting side after Samu Kerevi was suspended for the rest of Australia’s Grand Slam campaign.
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Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii is set for a hasty recall to the Wallabies starting side after Samu Kerevi was suspended for the rest of Australia’s Grand Slam campaign.
Making his first appearance for the Wallabies this year, Kerevi was sent off during last weekend’s 52-20 thrashing of Wales in Cardiff after a high tackle on opposition centre Jac Morgan.
He was initially given a yellow card which was upgraded to red then appeared before an independent disciplinary committee which upheld the ruling of foul play, which was deemed to be a mid-range offence carrying a six week suspension.
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However, the committee agreed to halve the 31-year-old’s ban to three matches, stating “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.”
The suspension rules Kerevi out of Australia’s next Grand Slam match against Scotland (Nov 25) and his next two club matches when he returns to Japan after he already indicated he would not be available for the last Test against Ireland in Dublin on Dec 1.
Kerevi’s unavailability opens the way for NRL convert rugby Suaalii to return to outside centre against the Scots at Murrayfield, with Len Ikitau shifting to inside centre.
Suaalii did well enough in his 18-minute cameo against Wales to suggest he’ll be starting the final two games against Scotland and Ireland.
Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt was keen to contest the red card ruling, but given Kerevi was only expected to be available for the Edinburgh clash, even a one-match ban would likely end his tour and give Suaalii automatic selection in the midfield.
Kerevi’s 20-minute red card in the 42nd minute disrupted Schmidt’s pre-match plan to bring off outside centre Len Ikitau, and match Kerevi with Suaalii in the centres.
With Kerevi first sin-binned for his head on head shot against Welsh flanker Jac Morgan by referee James Doleman, then upgraded to a red card by television match official Marius van der Westhuizen, the Wallabies were reduced to 14 men until the 62nd minute.
Then Suaalii was finally able to enter the fray, with Ikitau moving in to the No. 12 position and the former NRL star attacking and defending at outside centre, as was the case last week at Twickenham.
Suaalii made two strong tackles, caught a chip kick and made a couple of carries, but the play was largely on the opposite side of the field from where he was stationed.
“We had Nic White come off with a HIA and we just feel like it’s pretty tough for Samu, playing his 50th game, and to be sent off in that tackle,” Schmidt said.
“He’s pretty distraught, 50th game for the Wallabies and getting that red card. He was trying to drop into the tackle, and I felt (Morgan) just dropped as well.
“We were surprised that there was no mitigation, particularly because Jac played on, and there was no ping on his mouthguard, so it was then described as high danger. But that’s just the world we live in now, and we will look at that closely and potentially ask some questions through the right channels.”
Originally published as Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii in Wallabies recall after Samu Kerevi banned for Grand Slam campaign