Fired up for rugby return
APRIL 14, 2018 marks an important date in Franky Calugay’s world for two reasons.
It was the day he was part of a Bond University side that condemned University of Queensland to their first defeat on home soil in more than two years.
It was also the last time he played Queensland Premier Rugby first grade.
Calugay suffered an anterior cruciate ligament tear that would send him on a 13month recovery mission.
The 22-year-old makes his premier grade comeback at inside centre this afternoon, coincidentally against the same opponent and at the same St Lucia venue he was injured at.
“When I did the ACL, I was very sad and kind of depressed at the time,” Calugay said.
“The boys really picked me up from that stage and also the club showed a great amount of support in getting me back on track. The boys and family just really pushed me through the time in need that I was going through.
“To obviously come back and play a few games in seconds and everything go well was just a massive achievement for me as a person.
“I had many times along the rehab process where I got a few steps taken back just because the knee wasn’t performing right … so I definitely had to have resilience in that aspect to overcome that.”
With incumbent No.12 Ryan Menzies unavailable, Calugay will slot straight into Grant Anderson’s starting side to face UQ, who are seventh on the ladder, one rung below the Bull Sharks.
Calugay, a Nudgee College product who spent two years playing in Japan before joining Bond in 2018, can’t wait to finally get back out on the field in first grade.
“I guess all of my training and everything leading up to it will finally come down to this game and just showing that I’m still the same player that I was last year when I did it,” he said.
Flyhalf Dion Taumata is also expected to be back in the starting side after a few weeks away, with Mitch Third promoted to the bench.