Caucaunibuca benched by Pivac

Highly regarded winger Rupeni Caucaunibuca, normally a front-runner for the Fijian rugby team, has been left out of the starting team for their match against the New Zealand Maori tomorrow night.

Fiji's coach Wayne Pivac has bracketed the former Blues player on the bench after the player travelled from France to Fiji for the game.

However, Caucaunibuca did not report to the Fiji camp on arrival, instead taking his son to his village.

"What transpired was that he had to follow Fijian customs and take his first born child to his village and family," Pivac told the Fiji Times.

"It's a disappointment as he is a world class player, but we can't do much.

"We are not against that (custom) and when we spoke we had asked him to delay the rites until after the All Blacks test (June 10 at Albany) as we have a week off.

"But he said he had to follow customs and there is nothing we can do."

Caucaunibuca plays for Agen in France.

Other overseas-based players such as Vilimoni Delasau (Crusaders), former Wellington winger Sireli Bobo and France-based flanker Aca Ratuva arrived in time for just one training run with the team before the match.

Ratuva, an openside flanker, is one of four new faces in the Fijian side for the match in Suva on Friday at 3pm (NZT).

The other debutants are lock Akuila Matanibukaca, Jone Railomo and Jone Qovu, the latter two on the bench on Friday.

Pivac named former Queensland Reds halfback Mosese Rauluni, who now plays for Saracens, ahead of his brother, Jacob, to lead the team.

"It's been a very frustrating week for us trying to get the players in and training but that we are all in except for one (Caucaunibuca)."

* Fiji: Norman Ligairi, Vilimoni Delasau, Viliame Satala, Seremaia Bai, Sireli Bobo, Nicky Little, Mosese Rauluni (captain), Sisa Koyamaibole, Aca Ratuva Ifereimi Rawaqa, Isoa Domolailai, Akuila Matanibukaca, Bill Cavulati, Viliame Gadolo, Joe Bale. Reserves: Jacob Rauluni, Epeli Ruivadra, Sunia Koto, Jone Railomo, Jone Qovu, Sam Tabua, Seva Rokobara (Rupeni Caucaunibuca).

- NZPA