Seru Rabeni

{{Short description|Fiji international rugby union player}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}} {{Infobox rugby biography | name = Seru Rabeni | image = Seru Rabeni 2007.jpg | caption = South Africa vs Fiji during 2007 Rugby World Cup | birth_name = Ratu Seru Rabeni | birth_date = {{birth date|1978|12|27|df=y}} | birth_place = Bua, Fiji | death_date = {{death date and age|2016|03|15|1978|12|27|df=y}} | death_place = Nausori, Fiji | height = 188 cm | weight = {{convert|106|kg|stlb lb|abbr=on}} | school = Nadi District, Ratu Kadavulevu, Lautoka Teachers | university = Otago University | relatives = Rupeni Caucaunibuca (cousin) | occupation = Rugby Player & Coach | ru_position = Centre, Wing | repyears1 = 2000–2011 | repteam1 = Fiji | repyears2 = 2004–2008 | repteam2 = Pacific Islanders | repcaps1 = 30 | reppoints1 = 10 | repcaps2 = 9 | reppoints2 = 19 | repsevensyears1 = 1998–2002 | repsevensteam1 = {{nrut7|Fiji}} | repsevenscomp1 = 13 | years1 = 1998–1999 | clubs1 = Lautoka | years2 = 2000 | clubs2 = Suva | years3 = 2002 | clubs3 = Alhambra | years4 = 2002 | clubs4 = Otago | years5 = 2003 | clubs5 = Naitasiri | years6 = 2004 | clubs6 = Otago | years7 = 2004–2009 | clubs7 = Leicester | years8 = 2009–2010 | clubs8 = Leeds | years9 = 2010–2012 | clubs9 = La Rochelle | years10 = 2012–2013 | clubs10 = Mont-de-Marsan | apps1 = | points1 = | apps2 = | points2 = | apps3 = 7 | points3 = 5 | apps4 = 7 | points4 = 5 | apps5 = | points5 = | apps6 = 2 | points6 = 0 | apps7 = 63 | points7 = 90 | apps8 = 19 | points8 = 5 | apps9 = 41 | points9 = 15 | apps10 = 9 | points10 = 0 | superyears1 = 2003–04 | super1 = Highlanders | superapps1 = 11 | superpoints1 = 15 | ru_ntupdate = | ru_clubupdate = | super14update = | medals = {{MedalSport | Men's rugby sevens }} {{MedalCountry | {{FIJ}} }} {{MedalCompetition | Commonwealth Games }} {{MedalSilver | 2002 Manchester | Team competition }} }}

'''Ratu Seru Rabeni''' (27 December 1978 – 15 March 2016) was a Fijian rugby union player. He played as a centre or wing. At both club and international level, his physicality and heavy tackles earned him the nickname "Rambo".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newshub.co.nz/sport/highlanders-former-fijian-centre-seru-rabeni-dies-2016031607 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160316051318/http://www.newshub.co.nz/sport/highlanders-former-fijian-centre-seru-rabeni-dies-2016031607 |url-status=dead |archive-date=16 March 2016 |title=Highlanders former Fijian centre Seru Rabeni dies |website=Newshub |access-date=2016-03-15}}</ref>

==Career==

===Early career=== Rabeni was born and raised in Bua, Fiji, and played rugby union since his early schooldays at Ratu Kadavulevu School. 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 Sevens 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.

In 2001, Rabeni took up a three-year degree course at the University of Otago, 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.

===Europe=== Rabeni signed for English club Leicester Tigers shortly after being named in the Pacific Islanders squad.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/3816629.stm|title=Tigers sign Fijian Rabeni|date=17 June 2004|access-date=2018-05-21|language=en-GB}}</ref> Rabeni scored 12 tries in 39 appearances, but suffered from knee injuries throughout his time at Welford Road, leading to him missing a season. He was also banned for 14 weeks for gouging Saracens player Andy Kyriacou in April 2008.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/my_club/leicester/7325218.stm|title=Rabeni loses eye-gouging appeal|date=10 April 2008|access-date=2018-05-21|language=en-GB}}</ref> In his time at Leicester he helped them win the Premiership in 2007, starting in the final.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/english/6637669.stm |title=Premiership final |publisher=BBC |date=12 May 2007 |access-date=9 February 2020}}</ref>

In 2009 he was signed up by fellow Guinness Premiership team Gloucester on a 3-year deal.<ref>{{cite news |title=Rabeni completes Gloucester move |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/my_club/gloucester/8007603.stm |publisher=BBC.co.uk |access-date=20 April 2010 |date=20 April 2009}}</ref> However, in August the deal fell through when he failed a medical.<ref>{{cite news |title=Rabeni's Gloucester move stopped |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/my_club/gloucester/8201317.stm |publisher=BBC.co.uk |access-date=20 April 2010 |date=14 August 2009}}</ref> After this move fell through, he signed for newcomers Leeds Carnegie.<ref>{{cite news |title=Leeds capture Fijian back Rabeni |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/my_club/leeds/8238323.stm |publisher=BBC.co.uk |access-date=20 April 2010 |date=4 September 2009}}</ref>

In 2010 he signed for French newcomers in Top 14 Stade Rochelais. Rabeni's final professional rugby signing was [http://www.stademontoisrugby.fr/ Stade Montois] for the 2012–13 season when they were promoted to the Top 14.

==International== Rabeni 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 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 {{nrut|New Zealand}} in Albany and 2 conversions against South Africa in Gosford. Rabeni played for the Pacific Islanders numerous times and was one of a few players to go on every tour, in 2004, 2006 and 2008. He scored 3 tries and 2 conversions.

Rabeni started all four of Fiji'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.

Rabeni represented Fiji 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.<ref>{{cite news |title=Seru Rabeni wrecks Barnes and Staniforth |url=https://rugbydump.blogspot.com/2007/09/seru-rabeni-wrecks-barnes-and.html |publisher=RugbyDump |access-date=20 April 2010}}</ref> He was also instrumental in the Pool B decider helping Fiji beat Wales 38–34 and reach the quarterfinals for the 2nd time since 1987. He ended the cup with only one try, against Japan in their opening game.

==Coaching career== During the summer 2013, Rabeni moved to the United States to become an Assistant Coach for the college rugby team of Lindenwood University in Saint Louis, Missouri.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rugbymag.com/college-premier-league-/8385-seru-rabeni-joins-lindenwood-staff.html |title=Seru Rabeni Joins Lindenwood Staff |access-date=29 July 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130726091503/http://www.rugbymag.com/college-premier-league-/8385-seru-rabeni-joins-lindenwood-staff.html |archive-date=26 July 2013}}</ref>

In September 2014, Rabeni then moved to Hong Kong to be with his life partner, Susan Macdonald, and daughter, Ayami Rabeni,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://fijisun.com.fj/2014/11/25/new-lease-of-life-in-hong-kong/|title=New Lease Of Life In Hong Kong}}</ref> where he was focusing on completing his Masters in Sports Marketing & Business Management (distance learning with UCLan, UK) that led to the Head Coach position of the Discovery Bay Pirates focusing on youth (U13s to U19s) and was set as a player coach for the Pirates Championship team.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.arounddb.com/articles/regulars/moments/14035-seru-onside |title=Seru Rabeni onside |access-date=3 October 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150510205900/http://arounddb.com/articles/regulars/moments/14035-seru-onside |archive-date=10 May 2015 }}</ref> He was to work alongside Craig Hammond of Hong Kong Scottish where he would have likewise played for this premiership team.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dbpirates.com/News/3093191 |title=Discovery Bay Pirates RFC - SERU RABENI Joins DB Pirates to Head Coaching team |access-date=13 September 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140913221413/http://www.dbpirates.com/News/3093191 |archive-date=13 September 2014}}</ref>

==Hong Kong National League== In 2014–2015 season, Rabeni was Head Coach/Player for Hong Kong's largest rugby club ''DB Pirates'' 1st and 2nd XV. His last professional appearance in March 2015 was with the Hong Kong Scottish Exiles in the HK Rugby 10s reaching the Cup Semi Finals. For the 2015–16 season, DB Pirates set-up a Chief Rugby Officer position for Rabeni sponsored by HKRFU with comments in the HK rugby community that he was on track to become HK's next National Coach. Rabeni visited Fiji in June 2015 to try and qualify for the World Cup one last time.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://fijione.tv/seru-rabeni-plotting-to-make-a-comeback-in-the-flying-fijians-squad/ |title=Seru Rabeni plotting to make a comeback in the Flying Fijians squad {{!}} Fiji One |website=fijione.tv |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151015092457/http://fijione.tv/seru-rabeni-plotting-to-make-a-comeback-in-the-flying-fijians-squad/ |archive-date=2015-10-15}}</ref> Unfortunately, he was delayed in returning to Hong Kong to take up the HKRFU position due to ongoing financial issues with his own transport business in Fiji. His tragic and unexpected passing coincided with the week he planned to return to Hong Kong where he had lined up corporate speaking events for the 2016 HK Rugby 7s.

==Death== In the morning of 15 March 2016, Rabeni suddenly died while having breakfast at his home in Nausori, Fiji. The cause of death was heart failure (suspected viral cardiomyopathy). Rabeni developed flu symptoms and shortness of breath from December 2015, but brushed off his symptoms as just flu.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1925711/seru-rabeni-was-set-become-more-involved-hong-kong-rugby-and-open-fiji|title=Seru Rabeni was set to become more involved with Hong Kong rugby and open Fiji academy before untimely death|work=South China Morning Post|access-date=2018-05-21|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/35809317|language=en|title=Fiji & Leicester back Rabeni dies|work=BBC Sport}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{Webarchive |url=https://archive.today/20130421015554/http://www.leedscarnegie.co.uk/rugby/leeds_carnegie_first_xv.php?player=4338&includeref=dynamic |date=21 April 2013 |title=Leeds profile }} * [http://www.leicestertigers.com/squad/players.php?player=4338&includeref=dynamic Tigers profile] * {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711003136/http://www.fijirugby.com/player.cfm?action=viewplayer&pid=1FADEE83-3048-78A8-DB5D7EF884EE51B5 |title=Fiji profile }} * {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081028134512/http://www.pacificislanders.co.nz/seru.htm |title=Pacific Islanders profile }} * {{ESPNscrum|13376}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rabeni, Seru}} Category:1978 births Category:2016 deaths Category:Rugby union players from Bua Province Category:Fijian rugby union coaches Category:Fijian rugby union players Category:Rugby union centres Category:Rugby union wings Category:Otago rugby union players Category:Highlanders (rugby union) players Category:Leicester Tigers players Category:Leeds Tykes players Category:Fiji international rugby union players Category:Pacific Islanders rugby union players Category:Stade Rochelais players Category:Fijian expatriate rugby union players in France Category:Fijian expatriate rugby union players in England Category:Fijian expatriate rugby union players in New Zealand Category:Fiji international rugby sevens players Category:Male rugby sevens players Category:University of Otago alumni Category:I-Taukei Fijian people Category:People educated at Ratu Kadavulevu School Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists in rugby sevens Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists for Fiji Category:Commonwealth Games rugby sevens players for Fiji Category:Rugby sevens players at the 2002 Commonwealth Games Category:Medallists at the 2002 Commonwealth Games Category:2003 Rugby World Cup players Category:2007 Rugby World Cup players Category:21st-century Fijian sportsmen Category:Deaths from cardiomyopathy