Simon Raiwalui

Simon Raiwalui (born 8 September, 1974) is a Fijian rugby union footballer. He currently plays for French club Racing Métro 92 Paris. He has also represented Fiji on a number of occasions. He has also been included in the Pacific Islanders (combined Samoa, Tonga and Fiji) touring team for Europe in November 2006. His usual position is at lock.

Raiwalui was born in Auckland, New Zealand, but was educated in Australia, where along with playing school rugby, played for club side Manly, from Colts level through to the under-21 side. He was also selected to represent the Australian Schoolboys, alongside other footballers such as Ben Tune and Joe Roff.

In 1997 he left Australia to play rugby in England. He joined the Sale Sharks, and later moved to Wales to play for Newport. He joined the Saracens in 2003 and made his debut for the club in September of that year against the Newcastle Falcons.

He qualifies for Fiji through his parents, and he went on to make his debut against the All Blacks of New Zealand. While with Newport, he was selected for the Fijian 1999 Rugby World Cup squad. He was a key member in the side which lost to England in the finals. He retired from international rugby prior to the 2003 Rugby World Cup in Australia, though he came out of retirement for Fiji in the Pacific Nations Cup in 2006, and was then selected in the combined Pacific Nations squad.

On the 06 February 2006 Simon attended a prize giving at the Coopers Company and Coborn school where he was guest of honour showing just how much his influence has spread. Whilst there, amongst other things, he claimed that the best player he had ever played with was Richard Hill. Although he later regretteed not also mentioning Rupeni Caucaunibica. Raiwalui also revealed that in his opinion Caucau was the fastest man in world rugby, although Lome Fa'atau might beat him on the track.

External links

* [http://www.saracens.com/players/profile.php?id=47 Simon Raiwalui] on Saracens.com
* [http://www.teivovo.com/team_fiji/profiles/r/simon_raiwalui.html Simon Raiwalui] on teivovo.com