Charlie Faumuina is a product of the Auckland Scrum Academy in 2006 and has made giant strides as a tighthead prop.
With John Afoa and Tony Woodcock ruled out through injury in the 2009 Rebel Sport Super 14, Faumuina stepped up to the mark admirably, earning his first cap against a ferocious Sharks pack and going on to play nine games for the Blues.
He has since developed into a fine prop during his apprenticeship with Afoa and Woodcock, and with Afoa having departed for Ireland at the end of 2011, Faumuina will be keen to make the tighthead prop position his own in 2012.
He was awarded the 2010 Auckland ITM Cup Player of the Year.