Faingaa, Anthony

Anthony Faingaa (pron: fee-an-gah) continues to build his reputation as one of the great young prospects for the CA Brumbies. The 20-year-old local junior had a slow start to 2007 as he recuperated from a Lisfranc fracture in his left foot, before launching himself into his Investec Super 14 debut against the Bulls at Canberra Stadium. He added a further two caps during the season, coming off the bench against the Stormers and Sharks. Faingaa, a confident ball player and punishing defender, was called into the Australian Sevens side for the final two tournaments of the World Series in London and Edinburgh. He also helped lead Eastern Suburbs’ charge to a Shute Shield grand final appearance against Sydney University. The aggressive inside centre played in all eight matches for the Navy Canberra Vikings in the Mazda Australian Rugby Championship, taking on the goal kicking duties at the back end of the season. Faingaa is one of many talented inside backs for the CA Brumbies including Gene Fairbanks, Julian Huxley and Tyrone Smith.

Born in Queanbeyan, Faingaa began his football career as a five year old with local league side the Queanbeyan Kangaroos. He attended St Edmund’s College where he first represented the school’s First XV aged 15 and was admitted into the Brumbies Academy the same year. Faingaa, another success of the Brumbies development program, was appointed vice captain of the Australian Schoolboys (2004) and the World Championship-winning Australian Under 19’s in 2006. The robust centre, who was inducted into the CA Brumbies senior squad with a rookie contract in 2006, sealed Australia’s 17-13 Under 19 final win over New Zealand with a late drop goal and was later nominated, along with the CA Brumbies’ team mate Josh Holmes, for the International Rugby Board’s Under 19 Player of the Year. Faingaa also represented the Australian Under 21’s in 2006 before graduating to a full contract with the CA Brumbies last year.