Simon Raiwalui, a former coach of the Flying Fijians, has been named the New South Wales Waratahs’ director of performance.
In this new role, he will assume the role of General Manager of Rugby and will play a vital role in shaping the development and performance strategy for players across all Waratah teams and pathways.
Raiwalui, who was born in Auckland, New Zealand in 1974, was raised and educated in Australia. He played for Manly Colts and the Australian Schoolboys before moving to England.
Raiwalui is keen on improving the Waratahs’ performance, enhancing their performance pathways, and contributing to the growth of rugby in New South Wales.
With a successful coaching career that includes stints at Sale, Saracens, and Racing Metro 92, and representing Fiji in 43 Tests, he brings a wealth of experience to the role.
He was appointed the High-Performance Manager of the Fiji Rugby Union in 2020 and became the Head Coach of the national team in 2023. He guided Fiji to the Quarter-Finals of the 2023 World Cup.
Most recently, he worked with World Rugby as the High Performance Pathways and Player Development Manager. Waratahs CEO Paul Doorn sees this appointment as a significant step forward for rugby in New South Wales, providing an opportunity to review and redefine their systems and strategies.
