Seru Rabeni
Encyclopedia
Ratu Seru Raveive Rabeni (born 27 December 1978 in Bua, Fiji
) is a Fiji
an rugby union
player. He plays as a centre or wing for Stade Rochelais.
Rabeni is also renowned in both club and international level for his physicality and bone crunching tackles, earning him the nickname "Rambo".
debut in Dubai in 1998, playing in two Hong Kong Sevens
tournaments. He played at both U21 and U23 level for Fiji before making his test debut in May 2000 against Japan
in Tokyo during the Epson Cup tournament. An ankle injury saw him miss the remainder of the tournament.
, New Zealand
, and the following year played 7 games for Otago
in the National Provincial Championship
before gaining a Super 12
contract with Highlanders for whom he played a dozen games over the 2003 and 2004 season.
He has since toured New Zealand with Fiji
in 2002, and the same year played Wales
at the Millennium Stadium
in Cardiff
. He appeared for Fiji Sevens in the 2002 Commonwealth Games
in Manchester.
In 2003 he toured with the national side to South America, scoring his a try in the 41–16 victory over Chile
in Santiago.
In 2004 he played in all three games for the newly formed Pacific Islanders, scoring a try against in Albany and 2 conversions against South Africa
in Gosford. Rabeni signed for English club Leicester Tigers
shortly after being named in the Pacific Islanders squad. Rabeni made a bright start to his Leicester career scoring eight tries in as many appearances, however since then he has suffered serious knee injuries which forced him to miss the rest of the season and whole of the subsequent season.
In 2009 he was signed up by fellow Guinness Premiership team Gloucester on a 3-year deal. However, in August the deal fell through when he failed a medical. After this move fell through, he went on and signed for newcomers Leeds Carnegie.
In 2010 he signed for newcomers in Top 14 Stade Rochelais.
’s pool games in the 2003 Rugby World Cup
, playing at centre in the games against France
and the USA
in Brisbane, Japan
in Townsville and Scotland
in Sydney.
in the 2007 World Cup
in France playing in all 4 Pool B games and the quarterfinals. He demonstrated his tackling ability against Australia, injuring two of their players. He was also instrumental in the Pool B decider against Wales helping his national side reach the quarterfinals for the 2nd time since 1987 beating the Welsh 38–34. He ended the cup with only one try, against Japan in their opening game.
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
) is a Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
an rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player. He plays as a centre or wing for Stade Rochelais.
Rabeni is also renowned in both club and international level for his physicality and bone crunching tackles, earning him the nickname "Rambo".
Early career
Rabeni grew up in Bua, Fiji and has played rugby union since his early schooldays. He first played provincial rugby for Lautoka in 1998–99 while studying at Lautoka Teachers College, before moving on to the capital’s club Suva in 2000. Rabeni made his SevensRugby sevens
Rugby sevens, also known as seven-a-side or VIIs, is a variant of rugby union in which teams are made up of seven players, instead of the usual 15, with shorter matches. Rugby sevens is administered by the International Rugby Board , the body responsible for rugby union worldwide...
debut in Dubai in 1998, playing in two Hong Kong Sevens
Hong Kong Sevens
The Hong Kong Sevens is considered the premier tournament on the IRB Sevens World Series in rugby sevens—a variant of rugby union....
tournaments. He played at both U21 and U23 level for Fiji before making his test debut in May 2000 against Japan
Japan national rugby union team
The Japan national rugby union team represent Japan in international rugby union competitions. Japan is traditionally the strongest rugby union power in Asia but has both enjoyed and endured mixed results against non-Asian teams over the years...
in Tokyo during the Epson Cup tournament. An ankle injury saw him miss the remainder of the tournament.
Later career
In 2001, Rabeni took up a three year degree course at the University of OtagoUniversity of Otago
The University of Otago in Dunedin is New Zealand's oldest university with over 22,000 students enrolled during 2010.The university has New Zealand's highest average research quality and in New Zealand is second only to the University of Auckland in the number of A rated academic researchers it...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, and the following year played 7 games for Otago
Otago Rugby Football Union
The Otago Rugby Football Union is the official governing body of rugby union for the Otago Region of New Zealand. The union is based in the city of Dunedin, and its home ground is Forsyth Barr Stadium. The top representative team competes in the ITM Cup, New Zealand's top provincial...
in the National Provincial Championship
National Provincial Championship
The National Provincial Championship, or NPC, is the major domestic rugby competition in New Zealand. The NPC has seen many alterations to its format and brand. Since 2006 the National Championship has been split into 2 competitions, the ITM Cup and the Heartland Championship...
before gaining a Super 12
Super 14
Super Rugby is the largest and pre-eminent professional Rugby union competition in the Southern Hemisphere...
contract with Highlanders for whom he played a dozen games over the 2003 and 2004 season.
He has since toured New Zealand with Fiji
Fiji national rugby union team
The Fiji national rugby union team is a member of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance formerly along with Samoa and Tonga. In 2009, Samoa announced their departure from the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance, leaving just Fiji and Tonga. Fiji are ranked sixteenth in the world by the IRB as of 26...
in 2002, and the same year played Wales
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
at the Millennium Stadium
Millennium Stadium
The Millennium Stadium is the national stadium of Wales, located in the capital, Cardiff. It is the home of the Wales national rugby union team and also frequently stages games of the Wales national football team, but is also host to many other large scale events, such as the Super Special Stage...
in Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
. He appeared for Fiji Sevens in the 2002 Commonwealth Games
2002 Commonwealth Games
The 2002 Commonwealth Games were held in Manchester, England from 25 July to 4 August 2002. The XVII Commonwealth Games was the largest multi-sport event ever to be held in the UK, eclipsing London's 1948 Summer Olympics in numbers of teams and athletes participating.After the 1996 Manchester...
in Manchester.
In 2003 he toured with the national side to South America, scoring his a try in the 41–16 victory over Chile
Chile national rugby union team
The Chile national rugby union team is a rugby union nation representing Chile. They first played in 1935 and have yet to qualify for the Rugby World Cup. Rugby union in Chile is administered by the Federación de Rugby de Chile...
in Santiago.
In 2004 he played in all three games for the newly formed Pacific Islanders, scoring a try against in Albany and 2 conversions against South Africa
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
in Gosford. Rabeni signed for English club Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers is an English rugby union club that plays in the Aviva Premiership.Leicester are the most successful English club since the introduction of league rugby in 1987, a record 9 times English champions - 3 more than either Bath or Wasps, the last of which was in 2010...
shortly after being named in the Pacific Islanders squad. Rabeni made a bright start to his Leicester career scoring eight tries in as many appearances, however since then he has suffered serious knee injuries which forced him to miss the rest of the season and whole of the subsequent season.
In 2009 he was signed up by fellow Guinness Premiership team Gloucester on a 3-year deal. However, in August the deal fell through when he failed a medical. After this move fell through, he went on and signed for newcomers Leeds Carnegie.
In 2010 he signed for newcomers in Top 14 Stade Rochelais.
Pacific Islanders
Rabeni has played for the Pacific Islanders numerous times and is one of few players to go on every tour, in 2004, 2006 and 2008. He has scored 3 tries and 2 conversions.2003 World Cup
Rabeni started all four of FijiFiji national rugby union team
The Fiji national rugby union team is a member of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance formerly along with Samoa and Tonga. In 2009, Samoa announced their departure from the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance, leaving just Fiji and Tonga. Fiji are ranked sixteenth in the world by the IRB as of 26...
’s pool games in the 2003 Rugby World Cup
2003 Rugby World Cup
The 2003 Rugby World Cup was the fifth Rugby World Cup and was won by England. Originally planned to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, all games were shifted to Australia following a contractual dispute over ground signage rights between the New Zealand Rugby Football Union and Rugby World...
, playing at centre in the games against France
France national rugby union team
The France national rugby union team represents France in rugby union. They compete annually against England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship. They have won the championship outright sixteen times, shared it a further eight times, and have completed nine grand slams...
and the USA
United States national rugby union team
USA Rugby's men's national rugby union team, nicknamed the Eagles, represents the United States in the sport of rugby union. The Eagles are currently ranked 17th by the IRB World Rankings. Their highest ranking was from November 2, 2006 – September 10, 2007 at the 14th position...
in Brisbane, Japan
Japan national rugby union team
The Japan national rugby union team represent Japan in international rugby union competitions. Japan is traditionally the strongest rugby union power in Asia but has both enjoyed and endured mixed results against non-Asian teams over the years...
in Townsville and Scotland
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
in Sydney.
2007 World Cup
Rabeni represented FijiFiji national rugby union team
The Fiji national rugby union team is a member of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance formerly along with Samoa and Tonga. In 2009, Samoa announced their departure from the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance, leaving just Fiji and Tonga. Fiji are ranked sixteenth in the world by the IRB as of 26...
in the 2007 World Cup
2007 Rugby World Cup
The 2007 Rugby World Cup was the sixth Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. Twenty nations competed for the Webb Ellis Cup in the tournament, which was hosted by France from 7 September to 20 October. France won the hosting rights in 2003,...
in France playing in all 4 Pool B games and the quarterfinals. He demonstrated his tackling ability against Australia, injuring two of their players. He was also instrumental in the Pool B decider against Wales helping his national side reach the quarterfinals for the 2nd time since 1987 beating the Welsh 38–34. He ended the cup with only one try, against Japan in their opening game.