Rugby Australia miffed as Kerevi McMahon withdraw from tour
Dave Rennieâs plan to build the Wallabies around dynamic star Samu Kerevi has been thrown into turmoil after the centre and Suntory teammate Sean McMahon withdrew from Australiaâs spring tour to train with their Japanese club.
A Wallabies spokesperson confirmed Kerevi and McMahon, who both play for Top League side Suntory Sungoliath, would not link up with the remainder of the squad this weekend in London, as they had initially planned.
Samu Kerevi has starred since returning to the Wallabies fold.Credit:Getty
McMahon made just one bench cameo in his Wallabies comeback but Kerevi was a crucial figure in the success of the team in The Rugby Championship, beating world champions South Africa twice before doing the same against Argentina.
Quade Cooper was similarly influential, and Rennie revealed he is also in some doubt to take his place against Scotland at Murrayfield next weekend.
âWe spoke with Quade this morning, and he met with the club. We have a meeting with Kintetsu tomorrow,â Rennie said.
Kereviâs absence will be an enormous blow for the Wallabies in Tests against Scotland, England and Wales but also points to an ongoing tussle between club and country as the Wallabies build towards the 2023 World Cup.
Under World Rugbyâs Regulation 9 law, clubs must allow their players to play for their country during international Test windows.
But when Kerevi suffered an ankle injury in the Wallabiesâ final Rugby Championship Test, tension between the Wallabies and Suntory emerged around his availability for the spring tour.
âRight from the start, the boys wanted the blessing of the club to tour,â Rennie explained.
âIn Samuâs case, heâs been away from Suntory for a while. Theyâre obviously in pre-season now and have a competition that starts in January. Theyâve always been very positive about being back in the environment, keen to be a Wallaby, and we felt if they got the blessing of the club, they would tour.â
That blessing never came, and the pair called Rennie on Monday to inform him they would not join the squad this weekend, as was initially planned.
RA chief executive Andy Marinos expressed his disappointment in only learning of the pairâs decision to withdraw several weeks after they initially told Wallabies staff they would take part in the tour.
âFrom our side, itâs hugely disappointing. Itâs disappointing for the fact that weâve backed these players, in terms of giving them another opportunity,â Marinos said.
âIf there was an inclination they were not going to tour, we would have appreciated it a lot earlier. At the time, when they were told they were going to be selected on that tour.â
The absence of Kerevi, Reece Hodge â" whose pectoral injury will sideline him for the remainder of the season â" and potentially, Cooper, leaves Rennie with little choice but to call upon players from abroad. Kurtley Bealeâs return seems imminent.
âHeâs made it really clear, his desire to be a Wallaby again,â Rennie said of Beale.
âWith the introduction of some of the guys he played with previously, he was pretty excited by that. We had a conversation yesterday around that.
âWe will need more than one. We left Marika at home, and we left Pone at home. We didnât replace either of those guys.
âWith Hodgey now injured and a couple of guys coming from Japan (out), weâre a little bit thin.â
Watch the first match of the All Blacksâ Spring Tour - Wales v New Zealand streaming ad-free, live and on-demand this Sunday from 3:05am AEDT on Stan Sport. Start your 7-day free trial here.
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