Cavubati sizes up Tasman [Nelson Mail]
The food bill must have been horrendous in the Cavubati household back in Nadroga.
The Tasman Rugby Union and Waimea Old Boys' new Fijian lock signing, Tevita Cavubati, is one of 11 brothers and the youngest sibling of former Wellington prop 'Big Bill' Cavubati, who played 38 tests for Fiji between 1995 and 2005.
But where the massive 165kg former Wellington tighthead grew sideways, 24-year-old Tevita grew upwards and now the 1.98 metre, 120kg lock is anticipating his latest assignment in the heart of Tasman's ITM Cup forward pack.
He certainly helps to provide the size element Tasman has been lacking, and after 12 appearances of his own for Fiji, including two tests, is also starting to harness some experience on the international scene.
He's not new to New Zealand rugby, having played in Taranaki in 2008 and 2010 as a member of the Spotswood United club.
And although he never quite managed to break into Taranaki's ITM Cup lineup due to the presence of established Taranaki locks Jason Eaton, Craig Clarke and James Broadhurst, he did represent Taranaki at both sevens and development team level.
He even caught New Zealand sevens coach Gordon Tietjens' eye at the national sevens tournament in Queenstown in 2008, although Cavubati felt then that his long-term future lay with the Fijian test team.
He's still young in international locking terms and although he just missed selection in last year's Fiji Rugby World Cup squad, is now hoping to establish himself in Fiji's 2012 squad under new coach and former test No8 Inoke Male.
That means playing regular high-quality rugby, which Cavubati reckons New Zealand's provincial ITM Cup competition will help him achieve. Tasman just happened to fall nicely into the mix.
"I told my agent I wanted to play [in New Zealand] before pursuing France or England, because New Zealand rugby's pretty competitive and I wanted to play in the best place,'' he said.
Playing in New Zealand, he said, would help put some structure into his game, rather than the more open, flamboyant style playing in Fiji would foster.
He's actually due back in Fiji on May 14 to prepare for Pacific Nations Cup tests against Tonga, Samoa and Japan, followed by a test against Scotland in Lautoka in June, which will take him out of local club rugby for about six weeks.
Fiji's relative lack of success at the World Cup has ultimately proved beneficial for Cavubati, with Male now deciding to cull some of the squad's older players.
While obviously disappointed to miss World Cup selection, he didn't expect to get as far as he did last season. But now genuinely back in the selection framework, he doesn't intend to waste his latest opportunity.
"I've got a bit more confidence and been working hard, doing a lot of training.''
Along with Sam Prattley, Riki Hoeata and Kaide Whiting, he's already accepted a leadership role with his struggling new Waimea club side, having previously locked the Taranaki development team scrum with Hoeata.
"We have a really young [Waimea] side so we have a lot to improve on. I think week in, week out, we will start to improve.''
He's looking forward to his Tasman involvement where he knows his lineout work and scrummaging strength will be crucial to the team's performance.
"I just want to give my best for Tasman. I'm a ball carrier as well, so I hope that I can help them get over that advantage line and give them some go-forward.''
And there's one game he's particularly looking forward to. With the Taranaki match on September 1 also looming as a likely Ranfurly Shield challenge, he wants to be part of the action.
He said that in the past, Taranaki hadn't always regarded Tasman with any real respect and had considered them relatively easy opposition.
"This year I want other provinces to know that this [Tasman] team is not like that. I can't wait to play against [Taranaki] because I want to smash some of them,'' he said with a laugh
