Rugby: Charlie muscles into contention

More than just brute force, Charlie Faumuina is a tighthead/loosehead prop with a side step. Photo / Getty Images

Maybe it is the bushy beard that has him looking like a lot of other notable front rowers but Charlie Faumuina is beginning to loom as an All Blacks contender.

Speculation is increasing the hirsute 24-year-old prop is on the radar of the All Blacks selectors and there are some whispers he could even be part of their World Cup plans.

With Tony Woodcock (provided he is fit), the similarly heavily-bearded brothers, Owen and Ben Franks, John Afoa and possibly Wyatt Crockett likely to have the inside running, there may be no room for Faumuina in a four-prop selection. However, Woodcock's injury and the fact that Afoa (who also plays both sides of the scrum, like Faumuina) is heading overseas later has prompted speculation that Faumuina might be closer than many think. All Black coach Graham Henry intimated recently that, in close selection decisions, the nod could well go to those remaining in New Zealand.

World Cup year is a big year to make that kind of decision, however, though Faumuina has performed well in the absence of Blues team-mate Woodcock. He has the added advantage of being able to prop on both sides of the scrum - he is more recognised as a tighthead - and as a former No8 has footwork not normally associated with the front-row club.

Just ask Crusader Tu Umaga-Marshall. Faumuina's in-and-out sidestep in the Blues' first meeting with the Crusaders this season left Marshall red-faced. He didn't even lay a finger on Faumuina when most wings might have expected a prop ranging out wide to try and plough straight over the top.

He is a popular member of the side and there is even a Facebook page devoted to Charlie Faumuina and his Magical Beard. Whether that popularity extends to the Three Wise Men will be known soon.

"Everyone wants to wear that black jersey and I will just put my head down and keep pushing," Faumuina says, perhaps alluding to both the physical and metaphorical.

Blues coach Pat Lam is convinced Faumuina will be an All Black but wonders if the World Cup might have come a year too early.

"I definitely think he is an All Black prospect," Lam says. "There aren't many props who can play both positions well. He's predominantly a tighthead who can play loosehead.

"I have a lot of faith and confidence in the Three Wise Men. You can look back in history and Michael Jones was plucked from nowhere and became a star. There are many examples of that. The good thing is he's grown up against some of the best in world rugby and shown what he can do. That's all he can do. If it's not this year, it will certainly be in the future."

Faumuina was a product of the 2006 Auckland scrum academy and in 2007 was picked by Lam for the all-conquering Auckland side. The 125kg prop made his Super Rugby debut in 2009 when Woodcock and John Afoa were injured and has since played 26 Super Rugby games, including last night's semifinal against the Reds. Last year he was named Auckland ITM Cup Player of the Year.

It has taken some cajoling from Lam to get Faumuina to the position he is now.

"The Charlie of today is not the one I remember when I first picked him in 2007," Lam says. "I put the hard word on him and tried to emphasise that he's got talent but needed to make sacrifices along the way.

"The big one for him was to work on his conditioning. We challenged him at the beginning that he was a 10-15 minute player but now he can do the things he does at any time in a game.

"It's fair to say he was typical of a lot of guys with talent but now realises the amount of work he needs to put in. He realises he really wants to play this game and go to the highest level and he's made some sacrifices."

It has also meant turning down an approach to play for Samoa. He has one colour jersey in mind and that will also see him stay in New Zealand in the medium term.

"I'm pretty keen to stick around," he says. "I think there are good opportunities for me with a few guys leaving. It could open a few doors. I just want to give New Zealand a really good crack."