Rupeni Caucau returns!!

[stormbati]

Very excited about the Wallabies v Fiji test match on Saturday because the great Rupeni Caucaunibuca makes his long awaited return to international Rugby.

Any real rugby fan will know who he is.

 

[iamtheantichrist]

When was the last time he played for Fiji?

 

[shiznit]

good to see Rupeni back... i still reckon he played his best rugby when he was playing for the Taniwha...

 

[Thomas]

He'd be playing prop now though, right?

 

[stormbati]

When was the last time he played for Fiji?

2005 or 06 I think against Samoa or Tonga but most haven't seen him play for Fiji since the 03 world cup.

He's obviously not the same given his age (31)
and about his weight, well he's always been a little chubby but never seemed to slow him down.

 

[iamtheantichrist]

Ah, that's not quite true.
I remember him being chased down playing for the Taniwhas by an Australian lock playing for Waikato when he was horribly out of shape

 

[Timbo]

He's well past his best but any help is good help for a minnow like Fiji.

Good stuff, but still, Wallabies by 40.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

Did a little googling...I thought he'd dropped off the face of the earth with all his off-field dramas, but actually it appears he was very successful in France (when he got on the field). Scored 70-odd tries in 100+ games and got player of the year for the whole comp one year.

It's a shame how, no matter how big name a player is in Aus or NZ, they completely drop off the radar down here when they move to the Northern Hemisphere. It's even been hard to follow SBW's progress, and that's saying something.

 

[African Monkey]

Ah, that's not quite true.
I remember him being chased down playing for the Taniwhas by an Australian lock playing for Waikato when he was horribly out of shape

No that was when he was at his peak. IIRC, he had just returned from a tour with Fiji and wasn't fit to play. He had made two massive runs prior to that and was so stuffed that the Northland side wouldn't give him the ball but he happened to pounce on a loose ball and couldn't get out of first gear so he ended up getting chopped down by the Waikato lock.

 

[footy1]

Good to see this guy back. If it's the guy I'm thinking about who scored that crazy try against France in the 2003 World Cup where he basically ran around the whole side and then went past the fullback before he even realised. If it's this guy, he is a machine.

 

[skeepe]

Looks like he'll be at the Brumbies in 2011. Be interesting to see how he goes.

 

[Shaun Hewitt]

I loved watching him play for the Blues

 

[stormbati]

I loved watching him play for the Blues

Well the blues haven't made the finals since he's left. iirc

 

[stormbati]

Good to see this guy back. If it's the guy I'm thinking about who scored that crazy try against France in the 2003 World Cup where he basically ran around the whole side and then went past the fullback before he even realised. If it's this guy, he is a machine.

It is mate, try YouTube for more.

 

[playdaball]

How did he go?

 

[African Monkey]

Well the blues haven't made the finals since he's left. iirc

We made it in 2007.

 

[Parra]

How did he go?

Too fat & slow. He never got involved in the game & was replaced.

 

[Butters]

Too fat & slow. He never got involved in the game & was replaced.

He played? Didn't notice him at all, i thought he wasn't playing.

 

[AusKnightRKO]

he doesn't care anymore.... if a team can grab him and get him down to about the 100kg mark he could be good again

 

[Timbo]

He was pretty ordinary. Suprised to see him in the 13 rather than on the wing.