Rayasi faces big Olympics decision
THE lure of an Olympics gold medal remains for recalled Hurricanes wing Salesi Rayasi, who insists he’ll delay his decision until after next weekend’s final Super Rugby Aotearoa match.
Rayasi returns to No 11 for his fourth start of the season, against the high-flying Chiefs in Hamilton tonight, as the newly re-signed Julian Savea drops out of the 23 in the ongoing wing rotation.
Last year’s leading Mitre 10 Cup tryscorer with 14 for runners-up Auckland, Rayasi has just two for the Canes this year — both in their narrow defeat to the Chiefs in round three.
As he looks to make an impact for the 1-5 Hurricanes in Hamilton, Rayasi also knows he must commit to the Olympics sevens program in the next fortnight as coach Clark Laidlaw’s squad eye an Australian campaign to prepare for Tokyo in
July. His last tournament in the black jersey was in Sydney in February 2020, not long before the world series was put on hold for Covid-19.
Rayasi said the lure of Tokyo was still there, “in the back pocket” but he wasn’t looking past the bottomplaced Hurricanes’ next two matches against the Chiefs and Highlanders. “I’m just focused on the present and trying to be in that 23 week to week and trying to put my hand up. When I get to that (sevens) situation, I’ll come to a decision,” Rayasi said on Wednesday.
“(There will be) ongoing chats with Alfie (coach Jason Holland) about where I want to be and my goals and how that fits into this, that will help my decision.”
Asked when he needed to commit to sevens, Rayasi said: “Sometime soon. I know the sevens are getting into full power and they leave for Australia in the next couple of weeks for their trans-Tasman bubble games.”
It would be a surprise if Rayasi opted out of a potential once in a lifetime chance at the Olympics, which would see him miss TransTasman Super Rugby which starts next month. No doubt he features highly in Laidlaw’s plans and be a major asset.