Fiji Water Flying Fijians head coach Mick Byrne has described debutant Salesi Rayasi as “a very accomplished player” following his impressive first outing in the test match against the Wallabies last Sunday.
“Yeah, I thought he was good, you know, as a debut, got his try on debut, which is good,” Byrne said during a press conference at the Holiday Inn in Suva yesterday.
“I think what you said, looking solid is good. He reads the game well. He’s a very balanced player.
“I’ve coached against him back in New Zealand, and I’ve seen what he’s done as a Hurricanes player, and I was very impressed by him,” Byrne shared.
“But when you watch him at training, you see him actually every day of the week. He’s a very accomplished player. He’s a smart, smart player as well.”
Rayasi started at fullback for Fiji in Newcastle and gave fans a glimpse of his calm presence at the back.
He was asked to kick early to clear pressure from inside Fiji’s half and later picked off a pass with a well-timed intercept just before the break.
But it was after the first-half hooter that he made his biggest mark, stepping one defender, brushing off another and powering over for Fiji’s first try of the game.
The 27-year-old, who plays in France’s Top 14 with Vannes, had a solid debut before limping off late in the game with a suspected calf injury.
Byrne has confirmed he’s in good condition, noting that Peni Ravai is the only player currently dealing with an injury.
The Flying Fijians management is continuing to assess him.
Despite a narrow 22-18 loss to the Australian side, Rayasi’s performance was one of the key positives to emerge from the match.
Meanwhile, Fiji will take on Scotland this Saturday at the HFC Bank Stadium in Suva, with kick-off scheduled for 3pm.
