A talented outside Salesi Rayasi had stint in the Canterbury Rugby Academy, where he lost his passion for the game and saw basketball as his real calling. A former New Zealand Sevens representative, the Wellington born player took a break from rugby for a short period as he pursued a career in basketball.
However, Rayasi’s father Filipe, an accomplished professional and former Fijian international rugby player himself and mother convinced the young winger to give rugby one more try. Rayasi’s father played 13 times at fullback for Fiji making his debut against the New Zealand Maori in 1994. That he did, joining the Upper Hutt Rams Premier side late in their Swindale Shield run with immediate impact, scoring a hat-trick. He went on to be named in the NZ 7's side that won the World Cup tournament in 2018.
He was later named in the Wellington Mitre 10 Cup and in 2017 he signed for Auckland. Rayasi was one of Auckland's key squad members in 2018 and helped the side win the competition. Rayasi made his All Blacks Sevens debut in 2018 at the Hong Kong Sevens
Following the conclusion of the competition, he signed a deal with the Hurricane until at least the end of the 2021 Super Rugby season and in 2019 was a finalist for the Duane Monkley Medal for Player of the Mitre 10 Cup. . Rayasi made his Super Rugby debut off the bench against the Chiefs in Wellington in 2019 and scored five tries in his debut season.
The 1.94m, 105kg speedster has developed into one of the most promising young backs in New Zealand since he made his debut for the Hurricanes in 2019.
Rayasi also played for Moana Pasifika against the Maori All Blacks in 2020.
In the 2022 Super Rugby season, Rayasi made 371 carry metres in 10 games for the Hurricanes at an average of 3.71m per carry.
S.C March 2023
Career
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Marist Old Boys Rugby Club - Auckland Right Wing |
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Hurricanes Right Wing |
2019 - present |
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RC Vannes Right Wing |
2024 - present |
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Wellington Right Wing |
2016 - 2016 |
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New Zealand 7's Right Wing |
2018 - 2019 |
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Auckland Right Wing |
2017 - 2024 |
