Northland's star winger needs to get in touch

By WYNNE GRAY

Where is Rupeni Caucaunibuca? The latest version of his whereabouts had the Northland wing in Whangarei today with some hope he will be available for Friday's NPC meeting with Auckland.

But until coach Bryce Woodward sees Caucaunibuca he will not believe the Fijian has successfully completed the travel arrangements from his home to the far north.

Northland expected Caucaunibuca to return soon after the Commonwealth Games but he damaged a hamstring and then had to return to his village in one of the outer islands in Fiji because of a family illness.

"We have had about three dates when he has been coming back, but the latest information has him in Whangarei this week and hopefully at training on Wednesday," Woodward said.

"To be fair to Rupeni, he lives about 14 hours from Nadi by boat, car and then walking and there are real telecommunications problems in contacting him.

"I am not certain when he will be here and until I sight him I will keep wondering."

If Caucaunibuca fronts and is in reasonable shape, he will be chosen against Auckland for round two of the NPC.

"We are not a team which can say they have many world-class footballers but Rupeni is and if he is fit we will use him," said Woodward.

While Northland hope to gain the speedy Caucaunibuca, Auckland are likely to be without Mils Muliaina has been suspended for two weeks following an incident in Parnell on Saturday night.

All Black wing Doug Howlett was due at practice today for the first time since the Tri-Nations, and his return is timely because of the Muliaina incident.

Several others will wait until tomorrow for their final fitness tests. Carlos Spencer is still favouring his hamstring, Steve Devine has a tender ankle and Ali Williams needs a clearance after a head knock.

The selectors will consider whether to use James Arlidge as first five-eighths against a side who used him on loan from Auckland last season. If they bypass Arlidge and Spencer does not scrub up, Lee Stensness could be moved in from midfield.

Both Auckland and Northland lost in round one, Auckland after a sloppy ending against Taranaki while Otago held out Northland in Dunedin.

Woodward criticised referee Kevin Rowe in that game, questioning his control of the scrums and the breakdown.

"I thought his performance was ... average," the coach said.

"[In the rucks] the referee allowed them to go over the top and every time we did we got penalised. You would have to have a very close look at the scrummaging and the control of the scrums as well.

"The opposition can do a whole lot of things to disrupt the timing of engagement and I would suggest they [Otago] were doing that.

"I don't know why, just because they had two All Black props perhaps the referee thought they were in the right all the time and we weren't."

* Manawatu Rugby Union chairman Ian McAffer is the latest candidate to throw his hat in the ring for a job on the New Zealand Rugby Union board.

He confirmed yesterday his board would be nominating him for one of the two central zone seats.

New Zealand's 27 provincial union chairmen called for the resignation of the entire NZRFU board this month following the Eichelbaum report on New Zealand's loss of sub-hosting rights in the Rugby World Cup.

Although he was elected to the Manawatu board as recently as 1999, McAffer is one of the longest-serving provincial chairmen in the North Island. Only East Coast's Bill Burdett has served longer.

His announcement comes two days after former Marlborough Rugby Union chairman Mark Peters put his hand up for a seat.