Rugby: Caucau at crossroads

Injury-cursed Taniwha representative Rupeni Caucaunibuca is rumoured to be heading to Japan. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Former Taniwha star Rupeni Caucaunibuca is reportedly in talks with Japanese clubs for a new contract, but the jury is out as to whether it will happen.

Northland coach Derren Witcombe says there is no doubt the winger still has talent, but it is dependent on his body whether he is able to showcase it.

"He only played one full game [I think]," Witcombe commented of the 33-year-old. "It was disappointing he couldn't play more rugby for us.

"It was great that he was coming back [to Northland] and given an opportunity. [However], I'm not sure how well he took that opportunity."

The former superstar, who was touted as having the potential to be better than Jonah Lomu, only managed to play three games for Northland through the ITM Cup season - against Southland, North Harbour, and Hawke's Bay - after constantly picking up injuries.

Meanwhile, since the season-ending win over Bay of Plenty, Caucau has returned to his homeland and was quoted in the Fiji Sun claiming to be "ready and fitter" as he chases down a contract in Japan.

Caucau also was quoted as saying his hand was up for selection into the national squad, although there were no guarantees that would happen.

Witcombe, who used to coach in Japan before coming back to Northland to be part of the Taniwha set-up, said the expectation on foreign players was high and Caucau would need to have his body in the right shape.

"If you're a contracted player, a foreign one, you're expected to work hard. The Japanese players work themselves into the ground, but, talent-wise we're brought up with rugby [and] it's in our culture. That's probably where the Japanese are maybe a little behind.

"As far as expectation going to Japan, you'd be expected to fit into their culture. I'd definitely do some medical research on him if I was a club in Japan [and] I'd be ringing up and finding out what sort of character he was."

However, with the ITM Cup season over, Witcombe's focus had now shifted to recruiting for next season and writing reports on this year's progress.

"It'd be easy to look at the results [and criticise] but I think we've made a lot of progress in the fact that 15 [players] played their first game for us," Witcombe commented, before adding that so far about 19 current players had been re-contracted.

"George [Konia] and I knew it was going to be tough [and] with the exception of two games we were within 10 points."