Northern Edition
Select Edition
Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Rupeni Caucaunibuca defends Fiji training camp call

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA: French flanker Olivier Magne is knocked down by Fijian winger Rupeni Caucaunibuca as a general brawl occurs between Fijian and French players, 11 October 2003 in Brisbane, during their 2003 Rugby World Cup match. France won 61-18. AFP PHOTO DAMIEN MEYER (Photo credit should read DAMIEN MEYER/AFP via Getty Images)

Rupeni Caucaunibuca, one the greatest Fijian players who set the 2003 Rugby World Cup alight, has defended head coach Simon Raiwalui’s decision to base his Pacific Nations Cup players in the village of Taveuni for a week rather than setting up a training camp in Suva.

ADVERTISEMENT

Critics have taken to social media to suggest the move is a cost cutting exercise a result of the massive debts the Fijian Rugby Union is having to deal with but Caucaunibuca hit back telling the Fiji Times: “It is good change as the national side is always training in Suva. It works both ways – fans and families in Taveuni for the first time are seeing their star players they only get to see on TV, players getting first-hand experience living in a Fijian community.”

Sam Matavesi, the Northampton and Royal Navy hooker, is also convinced the move that has seen the players mixing throughout their stay with the local people has benefitted the team who will head to France for a final World Cup warm up game against Ireland after the PNC tournament has been completed.

Video Spacer
Video Spacer

He said “We have seen some vigorous runs during the strength and conditioning sessions here while some have been light sessions. They have set up a plan and the players believe in it and we will work according to that.

“It is really great to have a bunch of good coaches. They have been doing a really good job. Majority of them have played for Fiji and have the country at heart while the others come in with huge experiences.”

Raiwalui is standing by his decision and the training camp will come to an end this weekend with the squad heading back to Nadi. He said: “Coming to Taveuni was all about connecting with our people. We came here so that our players can see where they are from. Everywhere we have been to, people have danced and we could only see smiles on their faces. We understand it is the first time for many of these people to meet the national players and that means a lot to them as well as our players.

“Every afternoon we train, we have seen children come running to the players after the sessions. It is sure to inspire many of them. They have got the opportunity to meet their stars and this is something we had come here for.”

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Classic Wallabies vs British & Irish Legends | First Match | Full Match Replay

Did the Lions loosies get away with murder? And revisiting the Springboks lift | Whistle Watch

The First Test, Visiting The Great Barrier Reef & Poetry with Pierre | Ep 6: The Ultimate Test

KOKO Show | July 22nd | Full Throttle with Brisbane Test Review and Melbourne Preview

New Zealand v South Africa | World Rugby U20 Championship | Extended Highlights

USA vs England | Men's International | Full Match Replay

France v Argentina | World Rugby U20 Championship | Extended Highlights

Lions Share | Episode 4

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

3 Comments
f
fl 748 days ago

"one the greatest Fijian players"


No. The greatest player of all time of any nation. No offence but anyone who disputes this, or even sees it as debatable, clearly knows nothing about rugby. The man was a god.

j
jason 737 days ago

Not in the top 20 of all time realistically not in top 100

D
Douglas 748 days ago

Taveuni is an island. Welagi is the village.

Load More Comments

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

S
Soliloquin 2 hours ago
Competing interests and rotated squads: What the 'player welfare summer' is really telling us

I don’t know the financial story behind the changes that were implemented, but I guess clubs started to lose money, Mourad Boudjellal won it all with Toulon, got tired and wanted to invest in football , the French national team was at its lowest with the QF humiliation in 2015 and the FFR needed to transform the model where no French talent could thrive. Interestingly enough, the JIFF rule came in during the 2009/2010 season, so before the Toulon dynasty, but it was only 40% of the players that to be from trained in French academies. But the crops came a few years later, when they passed it at the current level of 70%.

Again, I’m not a huge fan of under 18 players being scouted and signed. I’d rather have French clubs create sub-academies in French territories like Wallis and Futuna, New Caledonia and other places that are culturally closer to RU and geographically closer to rugby lands. Mauvaka, Moefana, Taofifenua bros, Tolofua bros, Falatea - they all came to mainland after starting their rugby adventure back home.

They’re French, they come from economically struggling areas, and rugby can help locally, instead of lumping foreign talents.

And even though many national teams benefit from their players training and playing in France, there are cases where they could avoid trying to get them in the French national team (Tatafu).

In other cases, I feel less shame when the country doesn’t believe in the player like in Meafou’s case.

And there are players that never consider switching to the French national team like Niniashvili, Merckler or even Capuozzo, who is French and doesn’t really speak Italian.

We’ll see with Jacques Willis 🥲


But hey, it’s nothing new to Australia and NZ with PI!

109 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ Nobody runs the show like Beauden - Why the All Blacks need Barrett now, and at Rugby World Cup 2027 Nobody runs the show like Beauden - Why the All Blacks need Barrett now, and at Rugby World Cup 2027