Eddie Jones: Wallabies centre Samu Kerevi hoping to learn England’s ‘secrets’

Dylan Coetzee

England head coach Eddie Jones before the Guinness Six Nations match at the Stade de France. Picture date: Saturday March 19, 2022.

Wallabies and Suntory Sungoliath centre Samu Kerevi has backed the under fire Eddie Jones but did confess to trying to steal some of the England head coach’s “secrets”.

Kerevi’s comments will likely cause a stir after it was revealed earlier this week that Jones had taken a trip to Japan to continue his consultancy role with Suntory following a poor Six Nations campaign.

Conflict of interest

Jones’ advice and experience will be useful for Kerevi as the Wallabies welcome England to Australia for a three-match Test series in three months.

“He’s been coaching England and they are a really physical side. The way European teams play rugby is a bit different to Japan and back at home in Australia,” Kerevi said.

“My work ethic off the ball, he spoke last year about trying to get more touches in my hands. He’s spoken about Manu [Tuilagi] a lot and how he’s progressed his game, but also for myself just trying to add a few things to my game to really expand my skill set. That was his big thing from last year.”

The 28-year-old joked he was trying to pick Jones’ brain on the England set-up.

“I’m mostly trying to get the England secrets away from him at the moment. I’m asking him a few questions on how they play and how his centres’ movements are, so hopefully I can help if I get selected back into the Wallabies,” he said.

“He’s been a great addition to us. I’ve dealt with him the last couple of years and had good conversations with him, especially one on ones. Rens [Wallabies coach Dave Rennie] has spoken about it the last couple of days, [Jones is] really experienced at that international level, so any insights he has for my game I really take on board and try to implement throughout the season.

“He’s always coming around saying how fit I am – really I’m not – but that positive reinforcement from a guy like him is awesome.”

Kerevi does not believe he is a guaranteed selection due to the cluster of in-form centres playing in Australia.

“It would be hard for myself to get selected in that squad with the way the centres are playing in Australia so I’m just going to keep my head down,” he added. “If it works out it will be really exciting for me, that’s where I made my debut for Wallabies, back in 2016. It’s a match I’ll be eyeing off.”

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