Agen send Caucaunibuca back to Fiji

Submitted by TemoL on Tue, 07/09/2010 - 8:32am

Agen sacked their wonderfully talented but woefully undisciplined Fijian winger Rupeni Caucaunibuca on Monday for again missing a pre-season training camp.

Caucaunibuca, 30, once described by England centre Mike Tindall as "the best player I have ever played against", was expected in France on July 12 but did not arrive until last Friday.

Agen's chairman Alain Tingaud and manager Christian Lanta told him he was not welcome at the club's Top 14 game against Perpignan on Sunday and summoned him to a hearing on Monday.

"Following the meeting, the club told the player Rupeni Caucaunibuca that the decision had been taken to dismiss him,' the club said in a statement. Caucaunibuca could not be reached for comment.

Since arriving in France to join Agen after the 2003 World Cup, the Fijian winger never managed to adjust to professional rugby but Agen still forgave him for his lack of discipline because of his performances on the pitch.

He won the Top 14's best try scorer trophy in 2005 and 2006, was named France's player of the year in 2006 and helped the club rejoin the top flight last season.

In April 2007, he was banned for three months by the French Federation after testing positive for cannabis after a Top 14 game.

In the following August, Agen sacked him for failing to return for the start of the season but welcomed him back when he reappeared a month later.

Caucaunibuca was once again released in February 2008 for lack of discipline and, after failing to turn up to trials with Leicester Tigers, he came back to Agen in November on a reduced salary.

At international level, his career also turned out badly as the Fiji Rugby Union banned him for a year in 2005 for ignoring selection for three internationals.

Last season, the Fijian announced the end of his career but he went back on his decision last March saying he would be available to play at the 2011 rugby World Cup.