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The new heaviest man in test rugby
Racing 92 prop Ben Tameifuna has been crowned as the heaviest man in test rugby.
All 153kg of Tameifuna will take the field when Tonga meet Wales in Cardiff this weekend.
The front rower spent four seasons playing Super Rugby with the Chiefs before shifting north to Racing in 2015.
“When I came to France I was 148kg so I’ve put on five kilos,” Tameifuna told the Daily Mail.
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When asked if the extra weight had been converted to muscle, he said “I bloody hope so. Mate, too many croissants and baguettes. Obviously I don’t have a six-pack! I look at food and put on weight.”
The 27-year-old’s weight sees him leapfrog France prop Uini Atonio who is listed at 151kg.
Atonio was born in Timaru and also spent time playing in New Zealand before shifting to France.
Tameifuna trained with the All Blacks in 2012 but failed to take the field. Then weighing in at 130kg, he was the heaviest player in the All Blacks squad. Tameifuna made his international debut for Tonga last year and will earn his seventh cap this weekend.
Tameifuna represented New Zealand at the Under 20 level and was in the 2011 side that won the world championship and included current All Blacks Beauden Barrett, TJ Perenara, Waisake Naholo, Codie Taylor, Sam Cane, Retallick, and Luke Whitelock.
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