Ulugia, John

John Ulugia (pron: uh-loo-hee-ah) graduates from his two-year rookie contract to a full contract for 2008 and 2009. The supremely strong front row utility has been linked with a possible permanent move to hooker with Huia Edmonds and Saia Faingaa. Ulugia, who shot to prominence as part of a dominant Australian front row in the 2005 Under 19’s World Championship in South Africa, added a second Investec Super 14 match to his name in 2007 when he started at loosehead prop in the CA Brumbies’ 26-13 win over the Stormers at Canberra Stadium. The skilful 21 year old started at loosehead prop for the Navy Canberra Vikings for all but one of their Mazda Australian Rugby Championship matches, forming an excellent combination with CA Brumbies team mate Nic Henderson as ‘bookends’ for the Canberra side.

Born in Auckland, Ulugia grew up in Melbourne, attending Noble Park College where he won selection in the Victorian state side for the 2004 National Schools Championship. It was during this tournament that the bullocking front rower was spotted and recruited to join the Brumbies Academy in 2005.  He represented the Australian Schoolboys in 2004 before going on to play with the Canberra Vikings in Sydney’s Tooheys New Cup the following year. Ulugia made his Investec Super 14 debut in 2006 when he came off the bench to replace Jeremy Paul in the CA Brumbies’ 53-20 win over the Cheetahs. Ulugia completed the year by winning a premiership with the Tuggeranong Vikings, being a member of the Australian Provincial Championship-winning CA Brumbies and earning selection in the Prime Minister’s XV that defeated Japan 61-19 in Tokyo.