A Queensland Reds rugby star has been hailed a hero after saving a mother and her baby from an alleged car-jacker wielding a vacuum cleaner pipe.

Samu Kerevi, whose barnstorming Super Rugby form saw him gain Wallabies squad selection last season, shielded the woman from the attacker and then plucked her young son from the back seat of the car.

“I realised there was a baby in the car … I told him to move away from the car and got closer and grabbed the baby out,” the Fiji-born centre told reporters.

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Amu Chu said it was fortunate Kerevi and two of his mates came to her aid after she was repeatedly hit with the vacuum cleaner pipe by a man who had demanded her car keys.

“It was lucky,” she told the Nine Network.

Police have charged a 22-year-old over the incident at Northgate in Brisbane’s north on Wednesday afternoon.

It’s also alleged he broke into another home in the suburb.

He faced court on Thursday on two counts of break and enter and one count each of burglary, attempted robbery and trespass.