AUSTRALIA CENTRE SAMU Kerevi will miss the rest of his country’s autumn internationals after his red card against Wales was upheld.

Kerevi is now suspended for the next three matches, with Australia due to play Ireland on Saturday, 30 November, following their game against Scotland this Sunday.

Yet Kerevi was already likely to miss the Ireland game as it falls outside the international player release window, and so he may now miss a pre-season game for his Japanese club, Urayasu D-Rocks.

The 31-year old was given a yellow card in the early moments of the second half during Australia’s win over Wales following a tackle on Jac Morgan. The tackle was upgraded to a red card on review by the TMO. 

🟨 Kerevi sees yellow!

📺 An off-field review for the high shot from the Aussie centre!#AutumnNationsSeries | #WALvAUS pic.twitter.com/7dcwlTmfQ5

— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) November 17, 2024

The three-game suspension was reduced from six games due to Kerevi “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”. 

There will likely be a further reduction of the ban to two games should Kerevi attend ‘tackle school’. 

A statement from Six Nations Rugby read: “Australia number 12, Samu Kerevi, appeared before an independent Disciplinary Committee via video link having received a 20 minute red card for an act of foul play contrary to Law 9.13 in the match between Australia and Wales on Sunday 17 November 2024.  

“The independent Disciplinary Committee was chaired by Brenda Heather-Latu (Samoa), joined by former international referee Donal Courtney (Ireland) and former international player Becky Essex (England).

“The Disciplinary Committee has upheld the red card issued to the player and by applying World Rugby’s sanctioning provisions, have determined that the mid-range entry point of six weeks/matches was appropriate. 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% reduction in sanction, thus reducing the final sanction to three weeks/matches.”