The man who masterminded Fiji’s historic triumph over the Wallabies at the 2023 Rugby World Cup has been recruited to help rebuild the Waratahs and take the battered team back to the pointy end of Super Rugby. Simon Raiwalui, a former Wallabies assistant coach who steered Fiji as head coach to the quarter-finals last year in France, is set to be announced as the Waratahs’ new director of performance after a global search. The position is a powerful new role, which will sit above the Waratahs head coach and take control of all elements of the rugby program at the now Rugby Australia-owned franchise.
Raiwalui’s appointment is expected to be announced on Friday. He will take part in the final stages of the recruitment of a new Waratahs coach, which has Scott Wisemantel and the newly available Dan McKellar as leading candidates. Raiwalui was on Michael Cheika’s staff as forwards coach of the Wallabies between 2018-2019, but finished up at the 2019 World Cup.
The former Fijian international second-rower joined that nation as general manager in 2020 before taking over from Vern Cotter as head coach eight months before the World Cup. After downing England at Twickenham in the build-up, the 49-year-old oversaw the Flying Fijians’ most successful World Cup, famously beating Australia 22-15 in St Etienne and making it to the lasy eight. Simon Raiwalui at the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
Credit: World Rugby via Getty Images Raiwalui took up a high-performance role with World Rugby af.