Jacob Rauluni
| Full name | Jacob Sekove Rauluni | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 25 June 1972 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Suva, Fiji | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 88 kg (13 st 12 lb; 194 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Brisbane State High School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notable relative(s) |
Taito Rauluni (father) Mosese Rauluni (brother) Waisale Serevi (uncle) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Jacob Rauluni was an International Rugby Union player who comes from a family of international halfbacks. His father, Taito, played halfback for Fiji, as did his brother Mosese and his first cousin Waisale Serevi, who also started his career at halfback. Jacob played for the Queensland Reds from 1995-2002 and he played for Fiji from 1995-2006. He had an extended spell playing rugby in the UK, and is best known for helping Rotherham Titans win promotion to the Premiership. In 2006 he played three tests for The Barbarians. He retired from international rugby in 2007, having played 52 tests. He played his last test against Japan as Captain of the Fiji national team.
Test career
Jacob has been capped 52 times by his country including Captaining them in the 2003 season. Remarkably he has played in three World Cups in 1995, 1999 and 2003.
He had a very good combination with Fijian first five eighth Nicky Little throughout his career.
His first test was against South Africa and he played his first Telecom Fiji Cup game in July 2000, turning out alongside Marika Vunibaka to help Suva defeat Tailevu.
Club career
Jake grew up in Brisbane and played for Easts Rugby Union from the age of eight. He played for Australian Schoolboys and Australian Under 19s and Under 21s before choosing to play for Fiji. At school he used to play flanker, but the Aussie Schoolboys team needed a halfback for the tour of the UK in 1991, and Jake says he was handed the No.9 jersey because of his family's tradition.
He played for Queensland from 1995–2002 and played over 55 Super 12 games.[1] He was part of 2000 and 2002 semifinals. Jacob chose to play for Fiji like his father Taito.
He kept the starting spot in the Fiji team for over a decade, and also played for the Queensland Reds in Super 12 from 1995 - 2002, playing in the semi-finals in 2000 and 2002. Leeds Tykes signed Jacob Rauluni on a one-year contract from Guinness Premiership side Bristol ahead of the 2006–07 season. An experienced scrum half at the time, Jacob was an asset to the club and played a role in helping the club achieve promotion. He made his debut in the third game of the season, away against Pertemps Bees.. Jacob spent three successful seasons playing for Rotherham, making 51 appearances for Rotherham between 2002 and 2005. He was a key member of the promotion winning side and featured in their Premiership campaign in 2003-04.[2]
Personal life
He married Vanessa in 1998 and recently settled in Central Queensland where they have had four sons : Noah, Isaac, Eli and Joe. Jacob played rugby for the Capella Cattledogs and in 2009 played for Queensland Country. Jacob now plays for the Cap Coast Crocs Rugby Club and coaches Junior Rugby.