VISEISEI, Vuda man Samu Kerevi is becoming the hottest package in Super Rugby, a bright spot in a struggling Reds outfit in the competition.
The former Fiji under-20 centre is displaying some block-busting action and tries and the latest was on Friday night when he continually broke clear of the Shark’s defence to set up his wingers and teammates.
He then scored a bustling try near the posts receiving a pass from halfback Genia to crash into several defenders on the tryline to touchdown and as if to clear any doubt about his try in the melee, he threw the ball up into the air while lying on the ground under a host of Shark bodies.
Kerevi continually used his upperbody strength to break tackles and make his trademark one handed offload to players outside him.
He is a specialist centre and fellow Fijian Chris Kuridrani, the younger brother of Crusaders’ Nemani Nadolo, scored Red’s only tries.
Chris and Nadolo are cousin/brothers of Brumbies and Wallaby centre Tevita Kuridrani from Namatakula Village.
Kerevi has been a try-scoring machine since he was young and with Aca Simolo were among the top try scorers at the Junior World Championship in South Africa in 2011.
His father played football at national and district level, however, he and his brother Joshua chose rugby.
The duo were part of the Baby Flying Fijians team that played in South Africa in the Under 20 Rugby World Cup.
However Joshua, was selected locally and Samu had migrated to Australia since he was four years old and is based in Brisbane.
Dad, Nimilote was a former Fiji rep and also featured for Suva and Rewa at district level.
Viseisei has offered Fiji brilliant sportsmen in the past both in athletics and rugby and the villagers would be closely following one of their latest heroes weekly in Super Rugby.
Among former sporting stars of Viseisei were Josaia Visei who was declared the world’s best running fullback having featured for Fiji in the 1970 rugby win over the British Barbarians.
Lately we have had others but more prominent was giant lock Ifereimi Rawaqa who played for Fiji in the 2005 Melrose Cup win and also in the 2007 Rugby World Cup where Fiji finally lost to South Africa.
His younger brother Taniela Rawaqa played fullback and appeared for Fiji in both codes on many occasions.
Sitiveni Moceidreke was a 100 metres sprinter who ran in the Rome Olympics.
Meanwhile, Kuridrani scored his first Super Rugby try after his first attempt was disallowed.
He was over the tryline in the corner but faced with a tackler in the like of Sprinboks strongman hooker Bismark Duplesis, his leg skidded over the touch line.
They form a formidable combination which is bound to mature over the years.
Kuridrani, was not bad on his first full game and showed moments of brilliance with his footwork.
The two young men with a rich background of sporting heroes are members of a young and developing Reds team that is losing matches now.
But like their predecessors they have the markings of champions written all over them and will be back at the helm sooner or later.
