Toulouse Olympique extend contract of Fijian winger Rupeni Caucaunibuca – Rugby update
Top ranking French professional rugby league team, Toulouse Olympique, has agreed to extend the contract of their winger Rupeni Caucaunibuca for next season.
Toulouse currently is at the top position of Fédération Française de Rugby’s (FFR) domestic rugby union competition called French Top 14. Toulouse in this season has won 17 of the 22 games with 82 points. Toulouse also is this
year’s Heineken Cup semi-finalist as Leinster Rugby defeated them 32 – 23 at Aviva Stadium Dublin on April 30.
Fijian born utility back Rupeni Caucaunibuca joined Toulouse during the 2010/11 season as a temporary replacement for the injured Yann David. Toulouse utilised Caucaunibuca at the winger position and he performed very well for the squad.
Fijian born Caucaunibuca made his international debut for Fiji at the age of 23 against Argentina in 2003. Thereafter he had different sorts of problems that made him change teams. Before making his debut for Fiji, he played his first international for
New Zealand Barbarians in 2002. He played for Fijian International rugby union team until 2006, made 7 appearances, and scored 45 points with all points coming from tries.
The 30-year-old later played two internationals for Pacific Islanders and French Barbarians in 2006 and 2010 respectively and scored a try each. He played his last international game for Fiji as centre against Australia, at Canberra in June 2010 and remained
on field before being substituted during the 65th minute of the game.
Caucaunibuca started his professional senior rugby career in New Zealand as he first joined Northland in 2001. He made 18 appearances for the provincial side and scored 80 points.
Fijian international centre made his super rugby debut for Blues during the 2002 season. He played 13 matches for the super rugby franchise and he scored 15 tries in these matches before leaving the Blues at the end of the 2003/04 season.
In 2004, Caucaunibuca joined Agen, and remained with them until 2009/10 season. He made 108 appearances for them and scored 325 points including 65 tries. While at Agen, he received France’s Player of the Year Award in 2006 and top try scorer award for 2009–10
Rugby Pro D2 season, which helped Agen return to the Top 14.
Caucaunibuca is 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighs 116 kg and is associated with different off-field disciplinary problems, which includes coming late to the club that handed him terminations of contract and testing positive for cannabis.
However, his playing style characterised by low centre of gravity, speed, weight, and strength has helped him to achieve the honours of being “one of the fastest and most flamboyant players in international rugby".
Toulouse will take on the Clermont Auvergne at Stade Chaban-Delmas, Bordeaux in the first semifinal of 2010/11 French Top 14 titles.
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