Wallaby Samu Kerevi defended Australia’s rugby sevens team after reports the squad celebrated excessively on a flight home from Tokyo.
Kerevi, a shock recall to the Wallabies squad for Saturday week’s Bledisloe Cup clash against New Zealand in Perth, was part of Australia’s sevens Olympic campaign that finished seventh in Tokyo.
The team’s behaviour in the Olympic village and on their flight home was investigated, with claims that “excessive amounts of alcohol” were consumed.
Rugby Australia disciplined the entire team and forced others to undergo education and counselling sessions about alcohol consumption. Kerevi said when the news broke it was hard.
“It was really tough in the first couple of days quarantine for a lot of the news to come out, that wasn’t necessarily true,” Kerevi said.
“The boys are willing to take the blame and cop that they did have a couple of beers on the on the plane.
“It wasn’t just our group, but boys really did work hard to be in the situation, and to be at the Olympics, and celebrated together. Obviously we still have standards that we have to fall by, but I think the most important thing was the people that matter to us knew exactly how the group carried themselves and how the behaviour was on the plane.
“Everyone else can make judgments and say what they want to say, but it’s just important that the most important people in our group, and the most important people in our lives knew the truth.”
Following his period in quarantine, Kerevi flew to Perth to link with the Wallabies in a surprise move by Wallabies coach Dave Rennie.
The former Queensland Reds skipper thought his Wallabies career was over after joining Japanese club Suntory Sungoliath. But with the “Giteau Law” being relaxed Kerevi was allowed to play with just 29 Tests despite the rule stating only players who have made at least 60 Wallabies appearances to eligible for national selection if they play their club rugby overseas.
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