'After almost 10 months straight of rugby, I blew out... but I'm down to 146kgs today'
Ben Tameifuna lets out a percussive chuckle when he mulls over the things people have written about him down the years, the virtual fetishizing of his immense bulk and the constant fascination with precisely how much he weighs.
Some of the stuff out there is a little unpleasant; the odd derogatory jibe poorly disguised as banter. The talk always seems to be about his shape, rather than his equally sizeable skillset.
Everyone in rugby knows of Big Ben, from his emergence at the Chiefs as a hulking young tight-head, his years with the swashbucklers of Racing 92, Tongan ventures on the Test stage and now his latest chapter at Bordeaux-Begles, who sat proudly at the summit of the Top 14 when the league was abandoned in June.
There are Tameifuna highlights reels set to thumping music where player after player is cemented, props rendered flailing roadkill by the ultimate behemoth. He is lionised for his beef, but he is also a terrific footballer with silken hands and routinely wallops over touchline goals in training.
“I don’t really care what people write,” Tameifuna told RugbyPass. “Will they run straight at me? Sometimes I look at that stuff and I laugh about it.
“Yeah, it’s true, but come and stand in front of me and say it. I really don’t care. I am what I am, take me as I am, and if you don’t like it, tough luck, there are plenty more people out there.
“If you let that get to you, you’d get into dark places, you’d get even bigger and end up retiring. And it sort of fuels me to push a bit harder, you know? I just want to add more people to the highlight reel list – nah, I’m joking!”
Our armour is ready #teamtonga #teketonga pic.twitter.com/Q9TM6gMZNn
— Tonga Rugby Union (@officialTongaRU) September 1, 2019
A conversation with Tameifuna is laced liberally with those impish guffaws. Warmth radiates from him when he talks about team-mates and how he plays for respect and brotherhood over riches and glory. But behind that gregarious veneer sits a core of steel. At 29, Tameifuna is long enough in the tooth to appreciate what he has, and willing to confront his struggles.
In the wake of the Rugby World Cup, he went back to New Zealand yearning for a break from the game. When the big fella lets loose, he really lets loose. Tameifuna’s weight ballooned beyond 160KG on a diet of lush, home-cooked Tongan delicacies washed down generously with beer. When he reported to Racing several weeks later, the club hierarchy delivered a stark ultimatum – lose weight, or lose your jersey.
“We came off a long season, we had three weeks off before World Cup preparation, then another couple of months of smashing yourself, prepping for one of the toughest competitions in the world,” Tameifuna said.
“You’ve got to put more effort into that, I went through the World Cup, got to the end of it, and to be honest, my mental strength was… after almost 10 months straight of rugby, I blew out. I went home, I saw my family every day, I went out, enjoyed myself, had a few nights with the boys and I let go.
“I knew with all the eating I was putting on weight but when it was time to come back, I was expecting Racing to tell me I was too big. I knew once I came back that I was on a grind no matter what. I’ve had my break, the little holiday is over, now it’s time to get back on the grind and get back to playing my best footie.
“I knew personally the last two or three seasons I haven’t been at my best. I’ve been alright, but I know I can be better. When I came back, it was going to be boom, boom, boom, and so far I’ve been good. I’m down to 146KG today, which is pretty much what I was when I came to France my first season. Since the World Cup and through Covid-19 isolation, I’ve had to keep the mentality of ‘it’s still time to grind’ and time to play my best footie.”
Much of lockdown was spent heaving weights around the garage and slaving away on a Wattbike, the scourge of rugby players the world over. Tameifuna unwound on his PlayStation with his Racing pals. He would sit for hours tapping away at Call of Duty with Finn Russell, the gloriously talented Scotland fly-half who has bamboozled half of Europe with his sorcery.
“We’re usually jamming on Call of Duty,” Tameifuna said. “Sometimes it’s a bit hard with his accent what he’s trying to say in your ear! We had a few nights during isolation where we were up until like two in the morning. He’s pretty good, smart kid.
“He’s just my kind of style as a 10. A lot of 10s just stick to structure and play in this position at this place and this time. Finn plays what he sees which is what you need as a forward. You come up from a scrum, about to faint because of the pressure, and the last thing you want is to be taking a backward step.
Big @ben_tameifuna with the skills ??? pic.twitter.com/sc3fhuBfKZ
— Simon Zebo (@SimonZebo) August 20, 2018
“He finds space – if he’s not putting himself in space, he will be putting others in space. It’s pretty good to run off Finn when he’s being that decisive, putting doubts in defenders’ minds, making them second-guess and then he finds a weak shoulder and pops you the ball. He’s a hell of a guy off the field too, always doing what is best for the team.”
There is a palpable respect between humungous prop and lithe play-maker. Tameifuna admired how Russell stuck to his convictions during the very public withering of his relationship with Gregor Townsend and ultimate exile from the Scotland squad.
“That’s another value of Finn, that he’s always backing himself and he believes in what he believes in,” Tameifuna said.
“To have someone like that on your side that has strong morals, that’s the kind of guy you want to hang around. As much as he loves his country, he stood for what he thought and what was best for him. It was unfortunate but fortunate for Racing that we got to have him for that time. It was awesome to have him.”
In Paris, there were all sorts of capers, from the howitzer shots at goal to the road trips Tameifuna and Chris Masoe would take to training in the All Black’s Smart car. As practical as the tiny vehicles are for city life, they are patently not designed to accommodate over a quarter-ton of Pacific Islands beef.
“There were a few times where Chris’ family was out of town and I was living by myself, so I would crash at his place a few nights a week,” Tameifuna said. “We thought it would be a laugh to jump in his Smart car – no point in taking two cars to training. I pretty much had my leg on his lap! It was cool, those are the enjoyable memories that I have.
“The kicks from the sideline, that’s just to keep the backs on their toes. I’ve had a few whispers of stop kicking, man, you’re bloody killing our confidence!”
? BRAVO @ben_tameifuna ! ?#RacingFamily pic.twitter.com/cjA8q7I1lq
— Racing 92 (@racing92) January 4, 2020
After five years at Racing, it was a wrench to leave, but the time was ripe to seek fresh pastures. In Bordeaux-Begles, Tameifuna has joined one of the continent’s premier teams coached by the truculent Christophe Urios.
“Racing were a huge part of my career, especially it being the first team I was involved with in France, and having played over 100 games for them,” Tameifuna said.
“It was hard to leave. There were needs and demands that both parties couldn’t live up to, and also for me, I needed a new challenge. For the mental side of things as well, to get out of Paris, explore a bit of France and it was tough but I think mentally as a player it was time for me to move on.”
Urios has spoken about Tameifuna’s trademark joie de vivre, but the prop is thirsting to deliver on the paddock as well as imprinting upon the club culture. There is a little more rigidity to his new side than the one he left, piloted by the brilliant young Mathieu Jalibert at fly-half. His debut off the bench against Edinburgh in Saturday’s Challenge Cup quarter-final win was eventful – a couple of wounding rumbles, a cynical infringement that earned him a yellow card.
Traditionally, French teams have treated Europe’s second-tier tournament as something of an inconvenience, but Urios and Bordeaux-Begles are gunning for the trophy. And they will need to turn it on in the last four, what with a trip to Ashton Gate and a date with their old chum Semi Radradra, who recently left for Bristol Bears, next Friday.
“We’ve got two different kinds of fly-half. Mathieu plays what he sees, but with the French background it’s all about structure,” Tameifuna said. “Ben Botica, our other 10, is a Kiwi so he picked up a ball real early as a kid, but in France they are always going to pick who they favour.
“It’s something that we’ve got to adapt to, the two 10s and how they play and run the team. I think it’s a good thing. If we can start off being structured and when it starts to open up later on, Ben comes on and finds a bit more space. It all depends on the 10s and the two styles. We haven’t played many games yet, so you want to see guys when pressure is on, who is going to front up and who is going to roll over.
“I’m all about winning. I’m not going to go out there to break my leg to lose. Hopefully it’s a last tackle to save a try in the 80th minute and I go down smiling!”
In a Smart car, on the PlayStation or scrummaging against Bristol’s finest, the chances are that Tameifuna will be sporting a grin as broad as the Seine.
Legs day!! pic.twitter.com/0NXIS6L6wk
— Ben Tameifuna (@ben_tameifuna) August 1, 2018
Comments on RugbyPass
It was a pleasure to watch those guys playing with such confidence. That trio can all be infuriating for different reasons and I can see why Jones might have decided against them. No way to justify leaving Ikitau out though. Jorgensen and him were both scheduled to return at the same time. Only one of them plays for Randwick and has a dad who is great mates with the national coach though.
53 Go to commentsBrayden Iose and Peter Lakai are very exciting Super Rugby players but are too short and too light to ever be a Test 8 vs South Africa, France, Ireland, and England, Lakai could potentially be a Test player at 7 if he is allowed to focus on 7 for Hurricanes.
5 Go to commentsPencils “Thomas du Toit” into possible 2027 Bok squad.
1 Go to commentsDon’t see why Harrison makes the bench. Jones can play at 10 if needed, and there is a good case for starting her there to begin with if testing combinations. That would leave room for Sing on the bench
1 Go to commentsWhat a load of old bull!
1 Go to commentsOf the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.
29 Go to commentsIrish Rugby CEO be texting Andy Farrell “Andy, i found our next Kiwi Irishman”
5 Go to commentsI certainly don’t miss drinking beers at 8am in the morning watching rugby games being played in NZ.
1 Go to commentsThis looks like a damage limitation exercise for Wales, keeping back some of their more effective players for the last 20/25 minutes to try and counter England’s fresh legs so the Red Roses don’t rack up a big score.
1 Go to commentsVery unlikely the Bulls will beat Leinster in Dublin. It would be different in Pretoria.
1 Go to commentsI think it is a dangerous path to go down to ban a player for the same period that a player they injured takes to recover. Players would be afraid to tackle anyone. I once tackled my best friend at school in a practice match and sprained his ankle. I paid for it by having to play fly-half instead of full-back for the rest of that season’s fixtures.
5 Go to commentsJust such a genuine good bloke…and probably the best all round player in his generation. Good guys do come first sometimes and he handled the W.Cup loss with great attitude.
2 Go to commentsWord in France is that he’s on the radar of a few Top14 clubs.
5 Go to commentsGet blocking Travis, this guy has styles and he’s gonna make a swift impact…!
1 Go to commentsWhat remorse? She claimed that her dangerous tackle wasn’t worthy of a red! She should be compensating the injured player for loss of earnings at the minimum. Her ban should include the recovery time of the injured player as well as the paltry 3 match ban.
5 Go to commentsArdie is a legend. Finished and klaar. Two things: “Yeah, yeah, I have had a few conversations with Razor just around feedback on my game and what I am doing well, what I need to improve on or work-ons. It’s kind of been minimal, mate, but it’s all that I need over here in terms of how to be better, how to get better and what I am doing well.” I hope he’s downplaying it - and that it’s not that “minimal”. The amount of communication and behind the scenes preparation the Bok coaches put into players - Rassie and co would be all over Ardie and being clear on what is expected of him. This stands out for me as something teams should really be looking at in terms of the boks success from a coaching point of view. And was surprised by the comment - “minimal”. In terms of the “debate” around Ireland and South Africa. Nice one Ardie. Indeed. There’s no debate.
2 Go to commentsThere’s a bit of depth there but realistically Australian players have a long way to go to now catch up. The game is moving on fast and Australia are falling behind. Australian sides still don’t priories the breakdown like they should, it’s a non-negotiable if you want to compete on the international stage. That goes for forwards and backs. The Australian team could have a back row that could make a difference but the problem is they don’t have a tight five that can do the business. Tupou is limited in defence, overweight and unfit and the locks are a long way from international standard. Frost is soft and Salakai-Loto is too small so that means they need a Valentini at 8 who has to do the hard graft so limits the effectiveness of the backrow. Schmidt really needs to get a hard working, tough tight 5 if he wants to get this team firing.
3 Go to commentsSorry Morgan you must have been the “go to for a quote” ex player this week. Its rnd 6 and there is plenty of time to cement a starting 15 and finishing 8 so I have no such concerns.
2 Go to commentsGreat read. I wish you had done this article on the ROAR.
2 Go to commentsThe current AB coaching team is basically the Crusaders so it smacks of wanting their familiar leaders around. This is not a good look for the future of the ABs or the younger players in Super working their way up the player ladder. Razor is touted as innovative, forward looking but his early moves look like insecurity and insular, provincial thinking. He is the AB's coach not the Golden Oldies.
10 Go to comments