Ballymore over Brazil: Reds centre Samu Kerevi opts for rugby despite lure of round ball

SAMU Kerevi is the Fijian find for the Reds backline but he could have been strutting at football’s World Cup in Brazil had his father’s fairytale been realised.

Super Rugby - Melbourne Rebels v Queensland Reds at AAMI Park, Reds Samu Kerevi breaks a Bryce Hegarty tackle. June 27th 2014. Picture : Colleen Petch

SAMU Kerevi is the latest smiling, bullocking Fijian find for the Reds backline but he could have been strutting at football’s World Cup in Brazil had his father’s fairytale been realised.

The round ball was king in the Kerevi household when he was a kid in Fiji kicking around with his father Nimi, who represented his island nation.

It took Kerevi’s move to Australia at age seven to flame his natural rugby genes and he has been on the climb ever since for Brisbane State High, Fiji under-20s, his GPS club team and now the Reds.

“My old man actually played soccer for Fiji back in the day so it was a different road I took in footy but he’s stoked about the opportunity I’m getting,’’ said 20-year-old Kerevi.

Samu Kerevi during the Queensland Reds training. Pic: Josh Woning.

“He was pretty skilful until a car accident ended his playing career. I’m a bit too heavy for soccer.’’

At 106kg, Kerevi can provide the sizeable crunch at outside centre that the Reds have lacked since the days of Daniel Herbert more than a decade ago.

His career is very much in its infancy but his first run-on role against the Western Force in Perth on Saturday night is his big shot at proving he can play a major role in the Reds’ revamp next season.

Teammates have playfully nicknamed him “Serena’’ because he shares similar curves to a prominent body part as the tennis star.

Kerevi copped a recent rocket for being late to training and has been diligently putting in extras ever since. The work paid off with two strong cameos off the bench.

Best of all, he has not looked out of place where two of the Reds other debutants, Jamie-Jerry Taulagi and Jonah Placid, were exposed in defence this season.

With Anthony Faingaa (calf) nursing a six-to-eight week injury, Kerevi has a shot at knocking the Force out of the finals race.

Originally published as Ballymore over Brazil: Reds centre Samu Kerevi opts for rugby despite lure of round ball