NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • Deloitte Fast 50
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Sport / Rugby

A flying Fijian in wings

Chris Rattue
By Chris Rattue
Sports Writer·
29 Aug, 2003 11:47 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

By CHRIS RATTUE

Waikato are about to unleash the latest flying Fijian to hit rugby in this country.

The 22-year-old Filimoni Bolavucu will be lurking on the reserves bench when they take on Northland - who will include Rupeni Caucaunibuca - in Whangarei tomorrow.

At 80kg, Bolavucu is 10kg lighter than
the brilliant Caucaunibuca. But Bolavucu, the son of a Fijian amateur boxing champion, has a favourite phrase: "I might not be big, but I'm big on the inside."

Bolavucu has played for Fiji under-21s, plus the national sevens side for the past two seasons.

He signed a two-year contract after being pursued by Waikato, who have also signed Fijian-born Chiefs and Counties Manukau wing Sitiveni Sivivatu for next season.

Waikato team and high-performance manager Glenn Ross says Bolavucu has pace to match or better the quickest Waikato have fielded in recent years, including Roger Randle.

"He hasn't been fully tested yet but he would be up there with the quickest we've had, probably quicker. Speed is his great commodity."

Bolavucu is a Chiefs candidate, and Waikato/Chiefs coach Ian Foster said: "He's come over here with some ambitions to play at a top level. So far what he is doing to achieve that is pretty spot on."

Bolavucu played 30 minutes for Waikato B last week against Wellington, scoring a brilliant try.

Fijian captain Greg Smith is back in after returning from the short tour of South America. But Waikato have lost lock Chresten Davis to a minor ankle injury in training, giving Dave Duley his first Waikato start.

Former Counties Manukau captain Wayne McEntee also gets his first Waikato NPC start, and Foster has brought back Rhys Duggan and David Hill in the halves.

Northland centre Norm Berryman has missed two training sessions with the flu, but is expected to be fit, while Caucaunibuca has completed two training sessions since returning from Fiji's tour.

"He trained a bit gingerly at first, but mind you, he'd had an 18-hour flight and a two-and-a-half hour car trip to get here," coach Donny Stevenson said.



Northland: Jared Going, Fero Lasagavibau, Norm Berryman, Jason Shoemark, Rupeni Caucaunibuca, James Arlidge, Sam Payne; Jake Paringatai, Luke Ottley, Mose Tuiali'i, Glenn Taylor (capt), Lee Jones, Tim Knight, Tim Dow, Bronson Murray. Res: Bobby Larkins, Ted Carew, Brad Taylor, Tu Tamarua; Lee Peina, Sam Davis, Manu Burkhardt-McRae.

Waikato: Loki Crichton, Sosene Anesi, Regan King, Keith Lowen, Matt Priscott, David Hill, Rhys Duggan; Steven Bates, Wayne McEntee, Jono Gibbes (capt), Keith Robinson, Dave Duley, Deacon Manu, Greg Smith, David Briggs. Res: Scott Linklater, Michael Collins, Daniel Alofa, Scott Couch; Isaac Boss, Derek Maisey, Filimoni Bolavucu.

Referee: Lachie McLeod.

Kickoff: 2.35pm.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save
    Share this article

Latest from Rugby

All Blacks

The big rugby topics leading up to the naming of the All Blacks tour squad

Watch
Black Ferns

'A heck of a race': The 'wide open' role in Black Ferns World Cup bid

Premium
OpinionGregor Paul

Gregor Paul: Why rugby's love for controversy harms the game


Sponsored

Saving NZ’s rarest species

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Rugby

The big rugby topics leading up to the naming of the All Blacks tour squad
All Blacks

The big rugby topics leading up to the naming of the All Blacks tour squad

Liam Napier and Elliott Smith discuss injury gaps, who will cover the third halfback role and the Lions' win in the lead-up to the All Blacks tour squad naming. Video / NZ Herald

Watch
31 Jul 01:59 AM
'A heck of a race': The 'wide open' role in Black Ferns World Cup bid
Black Ferns

'A heck of a race': The 'wide open' role in Black Ferns World Cup bid

30 Jul 09:30 PM
Premium
Premium
Gregor Paul: Why rugby's love for controversy harms the game
Gregor Paul
OpinionGregor Paul

Gregor Paul: Why rugby's love for controversy harms the game

30 Jul 06:01 PM


Saving NZ’s rarest species
Sponsored

Saving NZ’s rarest species

30 Jul 09:40 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP