Record-setting weightlifter turned prop's journey to become a Maori All Black

Bay of Plenty prop Benet Kumeroa was at a New World supermarket in Tauranga, stocking up on steak for the offseason, when he received a FaceTime call from TK Howden, a teammate from the 2024 Maori All Blacks. 

“Bro, you’re coming to London,” TK said.

“What do you mean?” Kumera asked.

“You’ve made it!” he replied. “I was baffled and totally surprised. Then we started joking about what to do in London. I’ve never been.”

Kumeroa is the only player from the All Blacks XV selected for the two-game tour of England who has not played in Super Rugby.

The 25-year-old has appeared in 36 games for Bay of Plenty, trained with both the Hurricanes and Chiefs, and played four times for the Maori All Blacks, but has yet to break into Super Rugby.

“I guess the coaches see something in me that they want. All I can do is train hard and play to the best of my ability,” Kumeroa told RugbyPass.

“Scrummaging is my core role. I’ve worked hard on that, switching from the loosehead to the tighthead side after a couple of injuries, and that’s where I feel more confident. I try to stand out by being dominant in collisions and explosive with the ball.”

These qualities, combined with his understated modesty, have caught the attention of Bay of Plenty coach Richard Watt, a former hardman lock for Wellington who played 209 times for Poneke. Watt helped coach the Hurricanes to Super Rugby glory in 2016 and has won 24 of his 36 matches at the helm of the Steamers.

“Benet is a quiet, extremely hard-working player who has shown a lot of perseverance to stay in the game, even when he’s been overlooked,” Watt said. “He’s tough, explosive, adaptable, and growing in confidence all the time.”

Kumeroa hails from Whanganui, specifically the Te Atihaunui a Paparangi iwi, with links to Parikino, Koriniti, Matahiwi, and Otoko. He initially made a sporting impression in weightlifting. Coached by Ritchie Patterson, a 2014 Commonwealth Games gold medallist in the Men’s 85kg division, Kumeroa represented New Zealand in Commonwealth and Oceania competitions in far-flung locations like the Gold Coast and Bangkok. Between 2016 and 2017, he broke 33 national age group records.

This strength gave him a natural aptitude for rugby, and in 2018, he was a solid bookend for the Auckland Grammar School First XV. He was invited to join the Bay of Plenty academy and, in 2019, served as the Steamers captain in the last Jock Hobbs National Under-19 Memorial tournament.

Covid proved to be a massive handbrake for ambitious young talent, and Kumeroa had to wait two years for his senior debut, which came in a 55-28 hiding to unbeaten Taranaki. After playing just seven games for Bay of Plenty between 2021 and 2022, Kumeroa truly excelled in 2023, making nine appearances. Whether starting or coming off the bench, he became an indispensable part of the Steamers’ pack.

“I’m lucky we’ve got a few experienced players here who are happy to share advice and help build a good culture,” Kumeroa said.

“Tevita Mafelio is a great guy with a lot of experience. He’s reached the highest level through hard work, experience, and being a good teammate.

“I love playing at Tauranga Domain on a hot Bay day. There’s nothing quite like it when the boys click and the crowd gets behind us.”

Since 2023, Bay of Plenty has won 10 of 14 games at Tauranga Domain, with memorable highlights including a 32-20 victory over Canterbury in the 2024 semi-finals and thrashings of Waikato (41-5) and Tasman (37-7).

In 2024, Bay of Plenty came very close to winning their first NPC title since 1976, losing in extra time to Wellington in the final. Kumeroa had spent a season playing club rugby for Hutt Old Boys Marist in Wellington. In the NPC final, he played 89 minutes, making 18 tackles and 14 carries.

“She was a battle that game. My lungs were burning. Everyone went to a place I don’t think they’d been before,” Kumeroa said.

“I enjoyed my season in Wellington. I lived with James O’Reilly, who’s played a lot of rugby for the Lions and Hurricanes, and was really helpful. Culturally, Wellington and Hamilton are quite different, but it was good to step out of my comfort zone.

“Making the Maori All Blacks last year would be the proudest moment of my career. It’s about so much more than rugby. It really connected me with my whakapapa, which was huge for my family and me.

“I guess I’ve always wanted to pursue professional rugby. I’ve taken a different path than others, but there’s no substitute for hard work. I can’t wait to get to England, soak up new knowledge, and enjoy my time with some new teammates.”

In 2025, Kumeroa also enjoyed playing for Rotorua’s oldest rugby club, Whakarewarewa, which won the Baywide competition for the first time in 19 years this season. Tragically, in October, the clubhouse was engulfed in a fire, destroying several years of precious history and taonga. He wished to express thoughts and aroha to those affected.