Tevita Kuridrani says he has been helping lifelong mate Samu Kerevi sort out the defensive problems that cost him his place in the Wallabies side for the second Bledisloe Cup Test.
Kerevi's promising international career has hit a hurdle, with the 23-year-old dumped for Saturday's must-win clash against New Zealand in Dunedin after missing a number of key tackles in last weekend's series opener.
Kuridrani has been brought in at outside centre as his replacement, adding some defensive steel to a back line that was torn to shreds by the All Blacks almost at will in the 54-34 defeat.
"Me and Samu are good mates, always will be," Kuridrani said.
"We've just been chatting together, sitting down with Greysy (defence coach Nathan Grey) as well.
"Mostly it's just one on one tackles, (needing) to get that right.
"I think it's good for both of us competing with each other for a starting spot.
"It gets the best out of us. We're boys still and we've been helping each other out throughout this week."
Coach Michael Cheika denied Kerevi's axing was due to defensive issues but the Queensland powerhouse was clearly targeted by the All Blacks in Sydney and did not cope well with the extra attention. With the series on the line, Kuridrani's experience will come in handy.
Cheika admitted he may have erred in recalling Kerevi so soon after his recovery from an ankle injury, with his last game of competitive rugby before the Bledisloe coming way back in June.
"His headspace is obviously disappointed but ... he's got a clear guide on what he needs to do to get back in the team," he said.
"You see how highly we rate Samu by putting him straight in after a bit of a lay-off after Super Rugby with injuries and maybe we did him a bit of a disservice by picking him too soon.
"Maybe he needed another week or two of preparation to get exactly right to play his best rugby."
Kuridrani, meanwhile, is out of contract with the ACT Brumbies and said he was no closer to inking a new deal with the Australian Rugby Union.
Reports late last year suggested he was being chased by cashed-up French clubs.
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