Lauaki is understood to have suffered kidney problems.
The block-busting loose forward played 70 Super Rugby games for the Chiefs between 2004 and 2010 and was capped 17 times for New Zealand.
He made his All Blacks debut against Fiji in 2005 and was part of the All Blacks team that contested the 2007 World Cup in France.
His final Test in the black jersey was against Samoa in 2008.
Lauaki moved to France in 2010 to play for top 14 side Clermont before joining Bayonne in 2011.
