Byrne Impressed With Habosi

Swire Shipping winger Vinaya Habosi is a natural, says head coach, Mick Byrnes.

The former Namosi player has been highly praised for his speed at the Super Rugby Pacific matches.

He has secured the #11 jersey the past seven rounds.

Currently on three tries, Habosi leads the competition in defenders beaten (33 defenders beaten), second in metres carried (694 metres) and fourth in clean breaks (with 6).

“Obviously he’s been playing well,” Byrne said.

“I think the big thing for me is I just love his attitude for the way he plays the game,” he said.

“He carries the ball like he wants to build tackles and win the game lines.

“Habosi who was diagnosed with a bone infection in his hip last year has shown how much he had missed being on the field.

“Everything he does - he does have a positive outcome and he does with his nature, he is a very excited player, always wears a smile on his face, he’s very smart and he enjoys himself.

“And I think it’s reflecting in the rugby that he plays. He’s enjoying himself and it may be the fact that the game was taken away from him last year and he realises now he’s going to take any chance he gets of being really successful,” Byrne added.

“He’s going to take every chance he gets and he said we’re doing that.

“I’ve been very impressed with his development this year and how he’s going about it, how he presents himself at training.

“There will be a lot of clubs that would like to have players like Habosi but we got him.”

Originally from Nasama in Nasama village in Nadroga Habosi will return to Fiji with the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua to take on the Highlanders at Suva’s ANZ Stadium on April 30.