Brothers Rugby Club are pleased to announce the appointment of our new Director of Rugby, Tino Junior Poluleuligaga for the 2025 season and beyond. Junior, or JP as he is known around the club, brings a wealth of experience to Crosby Park, with the 21-cap Manu Samoa veteran scrum-half offering high caliber coaching knowledge and a passion for player development to those who take up the Butcher’s Stripes.
Growing up in Auckland, New Zealand, JP has had a storied career playing professional Rugby for the Auckland Blues, Toulon, Harlequins, Waikato Chiefs and Exeter. In addition, JP has played in the 2007 and 2011 Rugby World Cups for Manu Samoa, and taken two additional international caps playing for the Pacific Islanders touring squad in 2006. After retiring from playing, JP took an interest in talent identification and development, working as a Director of Rugby for Auckland’s Papatoetoe Rugby Football Club before emigrating to Australia in 2022 and working with Brothers’ rival Sunnybank as a Rugby Development Officer.
Although JP is new to the Director of Rugby role at Brothers, he has been a familiar face in the club’s Junior section, having come on board in April 2024 to run the club’s Junior Rugby Program and Pasifika strategy under former Director of Rugby Damian Steele. Quickly cementing himself as part of the Brothers family, JP has wielded his knowledge for the betterment of players of all ages, and has already been active in developing coaching and player talent across the grades. He has also been instrumental in driving the club’s efforts in embracing the Pasifika community, founding and developing the Brothers Pasifika Committee, and working with the club’s Board to drive innovation in the youth performance space.
These elements will factor strongly into his new role with the club, where his core focus shall be maintaining the strength of Brother’s programs across the whole program. In particular, JP will be operating closely with the U14s to U18s, Colts Program and Girls and Women’s Programs to focus on driving high performance, whilst also managing the Junior Program. Brothers’ Head Coach Ben McCormack shall direct the Senior Grades Program, in what will be an extension of his successful stint as a premiership winning coach.
In his time with the club, JP has been impressed with energy in the club, drive of its players and the welcoming nature of its community.
“Brothers was a club that I had always heard spoken about with some myth. It was always up there, and had good teams, but many people told me it was a place that was tough for new guys to fit into. This couldn’t be further from the truth in my experience,” said JP of his first year with the club.
“It’s been a great experience getting in and getting to know the management team, and seeing the parents and players through the Juniors this year. Everyone has been really welcoming, and I am loving the challenge,”
“I am looking forward to driving the program forward in 2025. Pup (McCormack) and I have lots planned, and I’m looking forward to being a part of it.”
