1
Moana Pasifika star eyes Super Rugby redemption following weight battle
It’s been three years since Levi Aumua last played Super Rugby, but the new Moana Pasifika recruit is ready to have another crack at it after overcoming a long-standing battle with his weight.
ADVERTISEMENT
Formerly a member of the Chiefs and Blues, Aumua racked up a grand total of just four appearances between 2018 and 2019, with all of those matches coming while he played for the Auckland-based side three years ago.
That figure that doesn’t reflect the promise and talent he has shown while plying his trade at domestic level with Tasman across two stints since 2017.
A barnstorming midfielder capable of playing at either second-five or centre, Aumua has made a name for himself in New Zealand’s NPC as a damaging ball-carrier whose imposing physical stature has left opposition defences reeling in his wake.
Those traits have also enabled him to play all over the world for clubs in France, Australia and Japan, but it’s in Super Rugby where he wants to be.
Having been afforded few opportunities by the Chiefs and Blues to stamp his authority over proceedings at that level, Aumua is eager to make better use of his time at Moana Pasifika in their debut Super Rugby Pacific campaign.
He is confident of doing so after registering for pre-season training in career-best condition following a lengthy struggle with his weight, which he said prevented him from reaching his best during his time at the Chiefs and Blues.
ADVERTISEMENT
“Obviously, I’ve always had a bit of an issue with my ongoing fight with my weight,” he told RugbyPass when asked about how his experiences with the Blues and Chiefs have helped prepare him to embark on his debut campaign with Moana Pasifika.
“This is probably the best shape or weight I’ve ever been at. Even though I’ve been through those teams, they brought me to this point where I’m feeling good, I’m feeling myself, and I’m helping other boys do the same thing, so I’m looking forward to the season.
“This is the best I’ve ever felt in my shape.”
Perhaps his newly-trimmed physique is a testament to Moana Pasifika’s pre-season training regime, but Aumua said it took some time for him to address his weight, which – at its peak – had been listed as 118kg at previous stages in his career.
It wasn’t until he trekked abroad to play for the Hino Red Dolphins and Toyota Shuttles Industries in Japan that he realised he needed to take action in a bid to revive his Super Rugby career.
ADVERTISEMENT
“I would definitely say it was one of the big issues [that held him back at the Chiefs and Blues],” Aumua told RugbyPass.
“It took me a while to find my way with it, but going to Japan, playing over there, did a bit of reflecting, and I still had the hunger to play Super Rugby.
“Coming into this environment, it was still there, so something just clicked and I’m back here and giving it another go.”
Now ingrained in the Moana Pasifika set-up, Aumua has set his sights on gaining redemption over the two teams that released him earlier in his career.
“Definitely, the Blues especially,” Aumua said of his eagerness to beat the Chiefs and Moana Pasifika’s cross-town rivals.
“I’ve got a lot of mates still there [at the Blues], but I’d say the Crusaders would be one [team he’d like to beat]. Most of my Tasman mates are back at the Crusaders. Everyone wants to beat them.”
Aumua may well get the chance to knock off one of those teams as early as February 18 when Moana Pasifika host the Blues in the Super Rugby Pacific season-opener at Mt Smart Stadium.
A strong performance in that match could pave the way for regular starting honours in the Moana Pasifika backline, where he will likely compete for starting honours with Solomone Kata, Danny Toala, Henry Taefu and Fine Inisi.
If he manages to keep those players at bay and hold his place in Moana Pasifika’s starting lineup, it wouldn’t surprise to see Aumua’s chances of an international call-up for either Samoa or Fiji receive a significant boost.
Eligible for both countries, Aumua said that, with next year’s World Cup broadening on the horizon, this is the year he will seriously begin to push for test rugby, although which country he would opt to play for remains up in the air.
“I haven’t given it that much thought. I wouldn’t say no, though, to either team. Definitely this is the year that I would consider [playing for Samoa or Fiji]. I just don’t know who I’d rather upset out of mum or dad. I’ll leave it up to them.”
Before then, though, Aumua is intent on helping guide Moana Pasifika to a successful maiden season in Super Rugby Pacific, one of which he hopes the new expansion franchise will be a source of pride for their Pacific Island supporters.
“For us, we just play for the love of sport, we play for the Pacific, for our families, for our ancestors, and all the people of Pacific rugby that’s been before us, so making them proud – whether we win or lose – would be the biggest thing,” he told RugbyPass.
“Also, for us, we’ve got our own system of rugby, play how we want to play and play to our strengths. If that works for us, I guess we’ll take that as a win.”
Comments on RugbyPass
“Ou Lem” leading that ‘98 team to a 13-3 victory was the stuff of legend! Especially since we hadn’t beaten them for many years. 10/12/13 combo of Honiball, Pieter Muller & Andre Snyman were tough as nails! I remember screaming my head off in the early hours of the morning & my brother hitting a hole through one of the bedroom doors🤭😂
1 Go to commentsWhatever about 2017 - it's seven years ago and irrelevant now. In 2021 New Zealand needed a numerical advantage for 75% of the game and what was then the largest home advantage crowd in the history of the sport in order to just _barely_ beat England.
3 Go to commentsBoth cards were harsh. Yet again highlighting rugby's inconsistencies and the absurd effect of cards
2 Go to commentsExcellent game management in the last 15 or so minutes to close it out. Aussie got a bit panicky.
2 Go to commentsWhile all this is going on… I’ve been thinking more about the NFL draft system and how to make the commercial elements of the game more sustainable for SA teams who precariously live on the fringe of these developments. SA teams play in Europe now, and are welcome, because there’s a novelty to it. SA certainly doesn’t bring the bucks (like a Japan would to SR) but they bring eyes to it. But if they don’t perform (because they don’t have the money like the big clubs) - it’s easy come easy go… I think there is an element of strategic drafting going on in SA. Where the best players (assets) are sort of distributed amongst the major teams. It’s why we’re seeing Moodie at the Bulls for example and not at his homegrown Western Province. 20-30 years ago, it was all about playing for your province of birth. That has clearly changed in the modern era. Maybe Moodie couldn’t stay in the cape because at the time the Stormers were broke? Or had too many good players to fit him in? Kistchoff’s sabbatical to Ireland and back had financial benefits. Now they can afford him again (I would guess). What I am getting at is - I think SA Rugby needs to have a very strong strategy around how teams equitably share good youth players out of the youth structures. That is SA’s strong point - a good supply of good players out of our schools and varsities. It doesn’t need to be the spectacle we see out of the states, but a system where SA teams and SA rugby decide on where to draft youth, how to fund this and how to make it that it were possible for a team like the Cheetahs (for example) to end up with a team of young stars and win! This is the investment and thinking that needs to be happening at grassroots to sustain the monster meanwhile being created at the top.
71 Go to commentsGreat win - but very poor officiating yet again. Even the Aussie commentators slammed the YC decisions.
1 Go to commentsThe game where it felt like RSA was going to lose the most was the England game in my view. Heart in throat after the Farrell drop-goal…Amazing that the boks overcame 3 times in a row…not likely to be repeated ever in my view Also the boys looked emotionally spent in the England game in the 1st half That said, why was World Rugby and Beaumont allowed to stack the pools in England’s favour? Toughest opponents on that side of the draw were Fiji, Argentina (implode central) and Auckland Girls 2nd team
50 Go to commentsOnline trolls - the only ppl who the Crusaders can beat
2 Go to commentsDefinitely some greater nous by the Walleroos and it will take a bit of time for Jo Yapp to have a lasting affect. Canada are a forward dominated physical team and only the top 3 teams can match them, though not so sure about BF’s forwards. Many of Canada’s forwards earn their living in the English PWR, the breeding ground for the Red Roses amazing strength in depth. The next PAC4 matches will be interesting.
1 Go to commentsIs the Club World Cup and the World League, in combination, going to make or break world Rugby? I personally think it’s too much. Established tournaments and competitions’s significance is going to be drowned out by “the new shiney Mall built just down the street”.
71 Go to commentsLoved Carr‘s post match interview. “No, I don’t think so Jean. But thank you.” Good kid. Louw a certain feature for the Boks this year.
1 Go to comments“Where is the challenge to Leinster, Toulouse and La Rochelle likely to come from in future?” Racing 92 ? This has not been a good season for them this year, but they have a very strong squad……players like Woki, Nyakane, Kolisi, Le Roux, Lauret(these two older now), Le Garrec, Fickou, Tuisova, Arundell. With the addition next year of Owen Farrell, that is some firepower to mount a serious challenge ? And with Stuart Lancaster having a year under his belt, things should go better. Northampton will be a year wiser, more streetwise too. And I would expect one or two of the South African sides to mount a more serious challenge, but that would depend on keeping more players at home
71 Go to commentsWow, have to go but can’t leave without saying these thoughts. And carlos might jump in here, but going through the repercussions I had the thought that sole nation representatives would see this tournament as a huge boon. The prestige alone by provide a huge incentive for nations like Argentina to place a fully international club side into one of these tournaments (namely Super Rugby). I don’t know about the money side but if a team like the Jaguares was on the fence about returning I could see this entry as deciding the deal (at least for make up of that side with its eligibility criteria etc). Same goes for Fiji, and the Drua, if there can be found money to invest in bringing more internationals into the side. It’s great work from those involved in European rugby to sacrifice their finals, or more accurately, to open there finals upto 8 other world teams. It creates a great niche and can be used by other parties to add further improvements to the game. Huge change from the way things in the past have stalled. I did not even know that about the French game. Can we not then, for all the posters out there that don’t want to follow NZ and make the game more aerobic, now make a clear decision around with more injuries occur the more tired an athlete is? If France doesn’t have less injuries, then that puts paid to that complaint, and we just need to find out if it is actually more dangerous having ‘bigger’ athletes or not. How long have they had this rule?
71 Go to commentsHaha he does the exact opposite of what you’d expect any receiver to do, Brilliant!
2 Go to commentswell the favourites dont always win and let scott robertson chose his number 8
4 Go to commentsthats great for cam miller and the highlanders the crusaders have got problems within there systems that were proberly covered up astheywere winning when scott robertson was in charge
2 Go to commentsThe last time Plumtree coached the sharks they sucked the same when with the hurricanes now back with the shark Springboro. They still have no game plan
1 Go to commentsan impressive nail biting win for the Blues...but for mine the losing of the game sits with Isaia Walker-Leawere who fumbled balls from kick offs, broken play and then stripped of the ball by Sam Nock in the final minute…
4 Go to commentsAll of the Moderna law changes have been to slow the game down, playing into the hands of SA and the north. Incentivising boring, negative rugby. Brilliant changes. Speed up the game.
29 Go to commentsImagine you kick to the lineout, they give away a free kick, you have a great chance at a scrum, sorry sir you have to tap and go. Ridiculous
29 Go to comments