'Caucau' AWOL...again

[Gavin]

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,16024_6274065,00.html

It's becoming a seasonal tradition and this year is no different. Agen and Fiji winger Rupeni Caucaunibuca has failed to turn up for preseason training and no none knows where he is!


It's nothing new. "Cauca," one of the most prodigious talents ever to come out of the Pacific Islands, has earned a reputation for going Absent Without Leave and this season the Agen staff have been left frustrated again.

The 30-year-old Fijian was even given extra holiday time to return to Fiji and was expected back on July 12 rather than June 26 like the rest of the squad.

The club have not heard from "Rup," who as a result has missed Agen's preseason training camp in Brommat. He will also no doubt miss the Top 14 newcomers' first friendly match against Narbonne on Saturday.

He had entered into negotiations with the Brumbies in June with regards to a possible return to Super Rugby, but nothing came off those discussions.

Agen have declined to comment on the Caucaunibuca's absence.

Thought he might have turned a corner after the tests for Fiji, obviously not..

 

[nickdnz]

Pretty disappointing, still I'd like to see him in Fiji's Rugby World Cup squad, whether he's earned that spot is a different story.

 

[Conal]

hopefully he has turned a corner for fiji at least love to see him fully fit and firing on all aclyinders for the world cup

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Have heard a story that there are problems at home for him in Fiji!

 

[nickdnz]

Have heard a story that there are problems at home for him in Fiji!

Huh, no? Have you?

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Huh, no? Have you?

I meant family problems ... dunno what is meant by that. My sauce would not go further into it.

 

[Karl frufc]

Caucaunibuca was and still can be a great player i remember the world cp 2003 he outstripped the french team then again in the scotland game aswell hopefully he will make a comeback to his old form

 

[Muzzy]

i read on a fijian site Caucau was injured and was getting help from a traditional healer %)

the traditional healer said caucau had to stay behind which is why he missed the date

i think it would do caucau more good to play in fiji anyway, maybe he can lose weight there.

 

[Amobokoboko]

It's sad to hear that he didn't inform his team. This might reduce his chances for the WC

 

[jawmalawm24]

How heavy is he? I can remember watching him play centre for Fiji a few months back and he looked in bad shape compared to how he use to look when he played for the Taniwha and Blues.

 

[nickdnz]

How heavy is he? I can remember watching him play centre for Fiji a few months back and he looked in bad shape compared to how he use to look when he played for the Taniwha and Blues.

In his match vs Australia in June, he was billed in just over 110kgs. The funniest thing about that is he had apparently lost over 10kgs in the preperation for that match.

 

[Sam Owen]

You know I think Rupeni's best days came and gone quickly, he's not as good as he was when he was a star for the Blues (13 games) and even that stardom was shortlived. To me he could have been one of the greatest wingers in the world if only his mindset was determined for him to be one and his passion for the game was stronger but I think that he has his own battles off the field, unknown battles thats affected his Rugby.

Rupeni to me is one of those could've, would've, should've players. Like I said before his reign in Super Rugby wasnt long enough for me to consider him a great guys like Jeff Wilson and Joeli Vidiri just to name a few played more than 13 games of Super Rugby (Wilson and Vidiri 5 years of trying to prove yourself in probably one of the hardest provincial comps that is Super Rugby) and IMO were in-form for longer periods than Caucaunibuca was.

Another thing that springs to mind is people saying he so great and that he is one of those guys that can win a game alone. I disagree I reckon he could've been, if he was why has he yet to star at international level?..because for me to be great you have to be able to shine in either the Heiniken Cup, Super Rugby and a must for me, at international level not a second division French side (all due respect to Agen). Surely Fiji is a good Rugby nation and a true great can take a team and say 'follow me guys this is the way' like Jonah's done and so many other true greats.

He's definately near the end of his career and these times and how he uses it are important to life after Rugby. Him going AWOL is not a first but needs to be his last. If I was him I'd make as much money as I can and retire on a nice estate in beautiful Fiji that should be the goal. Goals, thats a word Caucaunibuca I think doesnt really care for, I mean he at one stage had his sights set on becoming an All Black at one stage and then that was all gone I have heard other teams say similar things about signing him up. Hopefully we see more of him once he's preferably 100kgs, fit, passionate about Rugby and all things good off the field.

I might come across critical and I hate sounding like one but those are my opinions. Like I said before he could've been great or the greatest but one person was going to make it real hard for him to reach all of that and that person was Rupeni Caucaunibuca.

 

[nickdnz]

You know I think Rupeni's best days came and gone quickly, he's not as good as he was when he was a star for the Blues (13 games) and even that stardom was shortlived. To me he could have been one of the greatest wingers in the world if only his mindset was determined for him to be one and his passion for the game was stronger but I think that he has his own battles off the field, unknown battles thats affected his Rugby.

Rupeni to me is one of those could've, would've, should've players. Like I said before his reign in Super Rugby wasnt long enough for me to consider him a great guys like Jeff Wilson and Joeli Vidiri just to name a few played more than 13 games of Super Rugby (Wilson and Vidiri 5 years of trying to prove yourself in probably one of the hardest provincial comps that is Super Rugby) and IMO were in-form for longer periods than Caucaunibuca was.

Another thing that springs to mind is people saying he so great and that he is one of those guys that can win a game alone. I disagree I reckon he could've been, if he was why has he yet to star at international level?..because for me to be great you have to be able to shine in either the Heiniken Cup, Super Rugby and a must for me, at international level not a second division French side (all due respect to Agen). Surely Fiji is a good Rugby nation and a true great can take a team and say 'follow me guys this is the way' like Jonah's done and so many other true greats.

He's definately near the end of his career and these times and how he uses it are important to life after Rugby. Him going AWOL is not a first but needs to be his last. If I was him I'd make as much money as I can and retire on a nice estate in beautiful Fiji that should be the goal. Goals, thats a word Caucaunibuca I think doesnt really care for, I mean he at one stage had his sights set on becoming an All Black at one stage and then that was all gone I have heard other teams say similar things about signing him up. Hopefully we see more of him once he's preferably 100kgs, fit, passionate about Rugby and all things good off the field.

I might come across critical and I hate sounding like one but those are my opinions. Like I said before he could've been great or the greatest but one person was going to make it real hard for him to reach all of that and that person was Rupeni Caucaunibuca.

In many aspects of that, I agree. Yes he showed some real potential, but I don't think he ever can really be considered in the same league as Lomu, Rokocoko, Wilson, Howlett, Cullen, Williams, Robinson, Lewsey, Haymans etc, for the simple reason that while he only played a few games for Fiji, and had some magic moments in them, it looked like it was the beginning of something great that never eventuated. I do however wish to see him in the RWC squad, because I think at the end of his career he'll realize that his legacy will not be set in stone as many of the previously mentioned greats, as he never really seemed to show true dedication to his country (and make no mistake, internationals are the highest level of competitive rugby).

 

[cyRil]

I do not want to see him at the World Cup. As, although I think he could have been great and it's a great shame that he hasn't fulfilled his potential, it would be just my luck that he smashed us up in the group stage!

 

[Sam Owen]

I do not want to see him at the World Cup. As, although I think he could have been great and it's a great shame that he hasn't fulfilled his potential, it would be just my luck that he smashed us up in the group stage!

Hey dont forget us MANU SAMOA yeah lol but back to Rupeni (since this is his thread) he needs to turn out for Fiji as nick has pointed out and he needs to play well. Hmmm Fiji could be somewhat of a dark horse in our pool...

 

[Muzzy]

in his prime caucau was a player who could win a game on his own, so many games the blues or Northland would be down in every stat, yet they still win just coz of Caucau's individualistic tries.

caucau isn't the player that he was and if he isn't performing well then Fiji shouldn't pick him, but i hope if he stays in Fiji and plays club rugby there he can drop a lot of weight and maybe start playing better. he's still got the ability its just the speed he doesn't have anymore because of his weight. i think the weight might be a result of a bad leg injury he got in 2002, i'm only guessing, but the same thing happened to Ronaldo, he got a bad leg injury and because of that he couldn't train as much so he got fat.