TNT Sports
Caucaunibuca stuns Rugby
By
Published 01/11/2003 at 13:08 GMT
Rugby may have found a new superstar to replace Jonah Lomu after Fijian winger Rupeni Caucaunibuca brought the World Cup to life on Saturday. The 23-year-old swatted off a string of Scottish defenders to score two spectacular solo tries that almost gave his tiny Pacific nation a place in the quarter-finals.
Eurosport
Image credit: TNT Sports
Fiji lost the game 22-20 when they conceded a try three minutes from the end while leading by five points but it was Caucanibuca who stole the show.
"That man Caucau just killed us," Scotland captain Bryan Redpath said. "He is one of the best wingers out there, no question."
Fiji coach Mac McCallion said Caucaunibuca had the makings of one of the greats.
"The tries that he scored today only Rupeni could score them," McCallion said. "He's got a great future - he's only 23 years of age, he's probably got more potential than any other player that I've been involved with or seen.
"He could be a superstar."
Born and raised on the tiny island of Vanua Levu, Caucaunibuca first came to prominence as a 20-year-old playing in the New Zealand provincial competition.
His rampaging running and crunching tackles earned him a contract with the Auckland Blues and it wasn't long before he caught the eye of New Zealand selectors.
But he turned down the chance to play for the All Blacks, making his test debut for Fiji this year.
He wasted no time stamping his name on this World Cup when he scored a stunning solo try in Fiji's opening match against France but undid his good work when he was suspended for two matches for punching French flanker Olivier Magne.
Saturday's match against the Scots was his first since then, and he quickly made up for lost time, bringing the Sydney Football Stadium crowd to their feet.
"I wanted to make up for that," the softly-spoken and shy winger said.
Caucaunibuca scored the first after 13 minutes when he got the ball about 30 metres from the Scottish line after flyhalf Nicky Little had looped around the backline, then beat three defenders in a rampaging run to the left corner.
He got his second just before the break when Fiji elected to run the ball inside their own quarter. Caucaunibica got the ball about 80 metres from the line and set off like an express train, smashing off two defenders in an 80-metre dash to the line.
Advertisement
Advertisement