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Super Rugby: Samu Kerevi and Karmichael Hunt set for huge impact in 2017, says Queensland Reds coach

Tom Decent

Queensland Reds coach Nick Stiles says he has been encouraged by the look of former NRL star Karmichael Hunt in the Super Rugby side's preseason.

Hunt looked extremely fit in the side's pre-season win against the Melbourne Rebels at Ballymore on Tuesday night, as he looks to put last year's injury-plagued season behind him.

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"He's finally back to his fighting weight, his rugby league weight," Stiles said. "He's looking really strong through the quads and his hips again and that's where he generates all his power for his ability to step and bump tackles."

Hunt caught the eye of Wallabies coach Michael Cheika last year and was selected for a number of training camps, but Stiles believes his fullback was actually not playing to his full potential.

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"He got picked in that camp last year and he was playing good football but not great football," Stiles said.

"The team wasn't playing well, so it's hard to do that from fullback. I think now if everything tracks along the right way, you're going to get a much better performance as a team and then 'K' is going to be in his best physical position and knowledge-wise to excel.

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"If he gets picked [for the Wallabies] he really would have earned the position this year."

Meanwhile, Stiles has made the surprising admission he was glad to see Samu Kerevi miss a maiden Wallabies spring tour through injury because it would ultimately freshen him up for another Super Rugby season.

Kerevi hurt his ankle in the Wallabies' 37-10 loss to New Zealand in the final Bledisloe Cup match last year at Eden Park.

It subsequently ruled him out of the end of year UK spring tour and marked the start of a long rehabilitation program following surgery.

Stiles believes the injury was a blessing in disguise for Kerevi after a whirlwind year in which he starred for the Reds before notching up eight starting caps for the Wallabies.

"I'm not going to lie, I was actually happy when he got his injury in the Wallabies game because it meant that he'd miss the UK tour and that's being selfish I understand," Stiles said.

"Last year for him was a massive year. The amount of ball carrying he had to do for us throughout the season, the metres he ran he was the best in the competition, and that puts a lot of physical toll on you.

"Then to go from that into your first international season is really draining mentally as much as anything else. It's not ideal and it's in the best interest of everyone that he's playing Wallabies, but for him to get an extended break leading into the pre-season was actually mentally a freshen up for him and his body is in even better condition than it was last year."

Kerevi started at outside-centre against the Rebels, looking dangerous with ball in hand, as did Quade Cooper in what was a comfortable 32-13 win for the Queenslanders.

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