In a historic night at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, the Australian Wallabies celebrated their biggest ever points haul against Wales, romping to a 52-20 victory. However, the resounding win was overshadowed by a contentious red card shown to star center Samu Kerevi in his landmark 50th appearance for Australia.
Kerevi’s Milestone Match Marred
Playing in his 50th Test for the Wallabies, Samu Kerevi saw red early in the second half for a high tackle on Welsh flanker Jac Morgan. The 31-year-old, who plies his trade in Japan, crashed his shoulder and forehead into Morgan’s cheek in a collision that the Television Match Official deemed highly dangerous upon review.
The incident left Kerevi “distraught” according to coach Joe Schmidt, as what should have been a celebratory occasion for the veteran center turned sour. With Kerevi unlikely to be available for the final match of the tour against Ireland, his involvement in the Wallabies’ end-of-year campaign may have come to a premature end.
Wallabies to Challenge Card
Despite being reduced to 14 men for the entire third quarter, the Australians rallied superbly, scoring three of their eight tries while a man down. However, the Kerevi red card left a bitter taste, with coach Schmidt expressing his disappointment post-match:
“We’re pretty disappointed with that decision around Samu, and we’ll have a look at that,” Schmidt said. “It’s pretty tough for Samu to be sent off in that tackle. He is distraught. Fiftieth game for the Wallabies and he gets a red card.”
– Joe Schmidt, Australia Head Coach
The Wallabies are expected to appeal the decision, arguing that there were mitigating factors in the collision. Morgan appeared to dip into the tackle at the last moment, while the fact he was able to play on and there was no mouthguard ejection suggested the contact may not have been as severe as first judged.
Further Citing Controversy
In a separate incident, Wallabies scrum-half Nic White was struck high by Wales’ Ellis Bevan in a challenge that bore similarities to Kerevi’s red-card offense. To the Australians’ dismay, Bevan escaped any on-field sanction for the hit.
Adding to the sense of injustice, a questionable cleanout by Australia’s highly-touted debutant Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii on Jac Morgan late in the game also went unpunished. With Kerevi likely to miss the Scotland clash, Suaalii, a cross-code sensation, is set to start in midfield at Murrayfield.
Pride in Adversity
Notwithstanding the Kerevi controversy, the Wallabies delivered a stunning performance to dismantle Wales in Cardiff. The victory was built on a dominant display by the Australian pack, with captain-for-the-day Alan Alaalatoa leading from the front.
“Very proud. It was really special. For us to connect like the way that we did today out there under pressure was massive for our group. And I think we’re going to go a long way from that.”
– Alan Alaalatoa, Australia Captain
The result marked Wales’ 11th consecutive defeat against all opponents and cranks up the pressure on beleaguered head coach Warren Gatland. For the Wallabies, notching their highest score in Cardiff and responding to the adversity of Kerevi’s dismissal provided a significant boost ahead of daunting assignments against Scotland and Ireland.
Wallabies’ Tour At A Crossroads
With Kerevi’s tour hanging by a thread, the Wallabies face the prospect of chasing a grand slam against the might of Scotland and world No.1 Ireland without one of their talismanic figures. How Schmidt’s men respond to this latest setback could define their tour.
An appeal of Kerevi’s red card will likely determine his availability for the remaining Tests. Should Rugby Australia opt to challenge the decision, Kerevi will anxiously await the findings of a judicial hearing, his fate on this tour – and perhaps that of the Wallabies’ grand slam quest – precariously balanced.
For Australian rugby, the Cardiff clash encapsulated the jubilation and despair this rollercoaster year has wrought. In a microcosm of their season, the Wallabies scaled rare heights in a historic win while also suffering the pain of losing a pivotal player to a contentious call. How they emerge from the ruins of Kerevi’s red could shape their destiny on this tour – and perhaps far beyond.
