Departing Queensland Reds captain Samu Kerevi won’t be giving rivals ACT Brumbies a clear passage to the Super Rugby finals.
The barnstorming centre intends to bow out a winner as he prepares to move to Japan’s Top League on a three-year deal next season.
The Reds visit Canberra for Saturday’s final round, before the Australian conference-leading Brumbies host a final the following week.
The Brumbies are riding a five-game streak, something they haven’t bettered since the run home in 2007.
But Kerevi’s Reds have won three of their last four against the Brumbies, including a decisive victory in Brisbane earlier this year, and the departing skipper would love one more in his farewell clash.
“I hope this weekend will be their last loss and they’ll go all the way,” Kerevi smirked.
“They’re playing some awesome footy, I’ve got some awesome mates and credit to them for hitting their straps at the right time of the season.”
Queensland upstaged the Brumbies’ much-vaunted set piece at Suncorp Stadium earlier this season and have challenged the finals-bound side to shape up again in the nation’s capital.
“Hopefully they’ll take all the lessons they’ve learned (from this season into the final), but tomorrow we’ll be coming for them,” he said.
“They’ll be hurting from the first time we played them … it’ll be an awesome game.”
The Brumbies will be looking for more of the same from re-signed centre Tevita Kuridrani, who is the only player to have scored more than five tries (seven) and made more than five try assists (six) in this year’s competition.
Meanwhile Kerevi hasn’t shut the door on a return to Super Rugby once his three-year deal with Suntory expires, but said he expects plenty of success at Ballymore despite his absence.
“A championship team, that’s what I see in them,” he said.
“You see guys in the (Australian under-20s) playing in our squad.
“These young men that are coming up are getting that experience under their belt and are matching it with anyone that’s coming into our house.”