Wallabies centre Samu Kerevi is looking to deliver the Sevens program the medal it deserves after being named in the Commonwealth Games squad.
Kerevi makes his return to the seven-a-side game after his stint at the Olympics, joined by Waratahs flyer Mark Nawaqanitawase.
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It adds further x-factor to an already loaded squad, containing the World Series' leading point-scorer (Dietrich Roache), pilferer (Henry Hutchison) and leading Impact Player of the Year.
“It’s a blessing. Really honoured to be involved in that Sevens squad again after last year,” he told reporters.
“I had a lot of conversations with the Sevens program before coming back especially last year, that was a big reason why I came back to Australia was through the Sevens. I didn’t really have many conversations with the 15s.
“To get another opportunity to pull on that jersey with the Sevens game is going to be special.
“They’re very important to me. They hold a special part in my heart. I was away for a long time and for me to be able to come back to Australia and pull on a gold jersey was important to me. I gave them my word I would come back and try for the Comm Games.”
It was his stint at the Olympics that brought Kerevi back to Australia, opening the door for an eventual call-up for the third Bledisloe Test against New Zealand, with Sevens coach John Manenti revealing the importance wasn't lost on the centre.
“He was very grateful for the opportunity he was given to come and play for the men’s Sevens team and off the back of that played his way into the Wallabies and being in Australia at the right time,” Manenti told Rugby.com.au
“I think he feels like there’s a part of him that owes the boys and the team. He loved the group and said any opportunity he’d get the chance to play he would.
“When we floated the chance to return, he was on board and we were very lucky to get support from Dave Rennie and Rugby Australia in letting him come and play with us."
Having played at some of the best clubs in the world, Kerevi praised the unique camaraderie around the program, eager to learn from both sides.
“It’s so different because when you come into a 15s or Wallabies squad, there’s about 500 guys here, there’s like two buses whereas Sevens, I think it was the first bus trip and we were waiting for everyone and we stacked up half the bus and that was the squad,” he explained.
“You get real close to the guys, you get to know them really well. The Sevens program have the women’s program that we support so well so to have the different interactions in the different games, there’s so many athletes there and things you can pick up that can help in the 15s.
“It can be less physical in certain aspects but there are other areas you can learn so much from those men’s and women’s teams.”
Kerevi will link up after the third Test ahead of the first match on July 29, likely to miss the trip to Argentina.
Having witnessed the struggles the side have gone through over the past 12 months, reduced to just a handful of full-time players, the 28-year-old is eager to deliver the success it deserves in his eyes.
"I understand how the program has toughed it out over the past couple of years and I think for myself, I want to get a medal more for the program than myself,” Kerevi added.
“Of course it would be special, not a lot of guys in 15s get to tradition over Sevens and win an Olympic or Commonwealth Gold Medal but I think it’s pretty important and something I’ll look back and be happy I had a crack at.
“For myself, I think the program deserves a medal. The boys work really hard, the coaching staff and everyone involved work really hard to get that program going. You definitely want to win it for that.”
