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Canadian lock Paul Ciulini will join Perpignan this fall. The 20-year-old from the Aurora Barbarians won his 5th cap as a reserve against Japan after making his debut in the Americas Rugby Championship. He is a graduate of both the Ontario Blues and Canada u20 programs. Ciulini joins the French Pro D2 side on an academy deal, similar to the one that his Canada teammate Matt Tierney signed with Pau a year ago. Tierney has since made his Top 14 debut and extended his contract by three years.
Perpignan finished in the middle of the pack in this year’s Pro D2 season but have a rich history of success since being established in 1902. They are seven-time winners of the Top 14, the last coming in 2009, and were Heineken Cup finalists in 2003. In 2014 they suffered relegation to the second division for the first time in their history but remain highly respected in French circles, with their academy system among the most prolific in the country and facilities ranked among the very best in France.
While Ciulini will not be on a first-team contract, he is likely to see action at the iconic Stade Aimé Giral with senior players that includes former Scotland flanker Alasdair Strokosch and new signing Romain Millo-Chluski, the former France second row who has signed from Toulouse. Other notables include Tongan World Cup duo Tevita Mailau and Sione Piukala, and former Munster and New Zealand 7s star Lifeimi Mafi.
