Following a two-month stint in hospital, Waratahs general manager and former Fiji coach Simon Raiwalui says he’s back on track after suffering a life-threatening stroke at work just days shy of his 50th 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡day.

Raiwalui, who masterminded Fiji’s World Cup hammer blow over the Wallabies last year in Saint-Etienne, was just weeks into his new role as the Waratahs’ new general manager when he suffered a stroke at the Super Rugby side’s headquarters in Daceyville in late August.

Raiwalui was engaged in a meeting with Rugby Australia high performance director Peter Horne and recently departed Waratahs chief executive Paul Doorn when the symptoms arose.

“I was at work and I was at a meeting with Paul Doorn and Peter Horne and I just started slurring,” Raiwalui tells The Roar in the gentle giant’s first interview since being released from hospital.

“I could tell that something was wrong. I didn’t feel bad, but I just felt there was something. I pride myself on my speech and being able to explain myself and I couldn’t get it out.

“Pete said, ‘Are you alright? You might want to go see the doctor.’

“I went down to the team doctor and he said, ‘Let’s get you to a hospital, I think you’re having a stroke.’

“I ended up staying in hospital for two months.”

Although Raiwalui never lost consciousness, the former Fijian forward lost his speech for days and movement in his body.

Never one to want any excess attention drawn his way, Raiwalui downplayed his health battle at every moment and asked for his health battle to be kept out of the headlines, especially with his daughter in the process of finishing her schooling.

But Waratahs and Rugby Australia officials were left sweating about Raiwalui’s health.

Doorn and Horne regularly visited the former international in hospital.

For a man who barely got injured during his long-career at the top that saw him run out for Fiji and carve out a successful career in England with Saracens and in France, being told to stay still wasn’t easy.

“I played until I was 37 and I retired because I got a knee injury the year before, but I was lucky,” Raiwalui says. “I didn’t miss any games, really.

“It was quite a shock to just be in hospital for so long. I wasn’t the best patient, and my wife will tell you that, and the doctors will tell you that.

“I was very stub𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧, and I left hospital early and I went back to work early. They didn’t want me to go back to work, but I couldn’t help myself really.

 (Photo by Alex Livesey – World Rugby/World Rugby via Getty Images)

“But I’ve been good, and the Waratahs have been brilliant. They haven’t rushed me. I went back for a little bit and then they said to come into Rugby Australia and do a little bit. Peter Horne’s been brilliant.

“Rugby Australia and the Waratahs have been brilliant and allowing me to come back at my own pace. There’s some great people in Rugby Australia at the moment that are really looking after me.”

Raiwalui hopes to hit the ground running early next year, but recognises, for now, that his health is the number one priority.

“I’ve still got stuff that’s still paying up, like physically, the left side’s still playing up and they said that’s normal, but mentally I’m back,” Raiwalui said.

“What I lost was my speech for a couple of days. It’s been more physical for me. I’ve always kept the mental side. The biggest thing for me is fatigue.

“I’m definitely going back. [New Waratahs coach] Dan’s [McKellar] been really good, he’s been really understanding and Andrew Cleverley stepped into my role.

“I’ve got a meeting next week. I’ll talk with HR and Peter about what my role is going to be. And then hopefully I’ll go back into the role with the Waratahs in January.

“I’ve got a big role with the Waratahs looking after the academies and the men and women. It’s a big transition period this year. I was really excited to join, obviously, and I’m looking forward to the role still.”

While Raiwalui undoubtedly would have wanted to enjoy his 50th 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡day celebrations, the former Flying Fijian recongises he was fortunate to suffer the stroke in Sydney rather than on a remote island is his traditional homeland – the country he spent the previous four years.

“I could have been in Fiji when this happened and that would have been a nightmare,” he quips.

Raiwalui is seeing the stroke as an opportunity to reassess his priorities.

After a whirlwind four years, where Raiwalui would regularly only get two to three hours of sleep a night, the former Test lock now acknowledges that his lifestyle and huge workload had impacted his health and likely contributed to his stroke.

“It was a wake-up call,” said Raiwalui, who as Fiji Rugby’s general manager took over from Vern Cotter on the eve of the World Cup and led them to the quarter-finals in France.

Simon Raiwalui and Eddie Jones ahead of last year’s World Cup clash, won by Fiji. (Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images)

“They went through my life and I was obviously burning the candle at both ends with Fiji, all the stresses of coming back and doing a job.

“I thought I was Superman. But you can’t live your life staying up until three o’clock, four o’clock, not eating well.

“It’s been a wake-up call and a reminder that I’ve got to rest, I’ve got to eat properly. I basically wouldn’t eat all day and then have a massive meal at three in the morning. And your life is not only about work.

“That’s what the stroke was telling me to settle down for a bit and calm myself and get your life in order.

“So, I’m a great advocate now of just saying, you don’t have to work yourself to the bone. It’s good to be a hard worker and a good employee, but it’s not everything.”

Part of Raiwalui’s decision to open up on his health struggles is to get the message across that enjoying a sustainable work-life balance is essential.

“I’ve been blessed with the support,” he said.

“I’m quite a private person and I don’t like to share. It’s part of the biggest problem with me, I just put things in the back and ignore it. But the support has been great.

“It’s actually good to get back on Twitter and say hello and get some normality back in my life.

“I love rugby and I’ve been so happy with Australian rugby this year. It’s really good to see the job that Joe and his team have done to really bring back a good feeling with rugby in Australia, which is really important to me.

“I was part of the problem with Fiji (defeating the Wallabies last year), but it’s great to see Australian rugby really turn a corner, and there’s some really positive vibes coming out of this last year.

“This next year is going to be a very good Super Rugby season, it’s going to be the best one in a long time, and then you’ve got the Lions tour, so it’s going to be a massive 2025.”

So what’s on for the coming weeks?

“We’ll enjoy Christmas, I’ll just stay away from the bad food and alcohol,” he said.