Rugby: Tameifuna - the weight of belief

Ben Tameifuna played as a halfback in Auckland primary schools rugby. Photo / Getty Images

If anyone wondered why Ben Tameifuna seems to be endowed with more skills than your average hulking prop it might extend back to his days as a halfback in Auckland primary schools rugby.

Generally assessed at 130kg plus (he's been listed anywhere between 119kg and 140kg in various publications), the contents of a fridge are clearly not safe in Tameifuna's presence. Neither are opposition props since his Super Rugby debut against the Blues a fortnight back.

Tameifuna stepped up at tighthead prop when the Chiefs suffered a front row crisis with the loss of Toby Smith and Ben Afeaki to medium-term injuries. Add in his exploits for Hawke's Bay's ITM Cup championship-winning side last season and it's hard to deny his dynamic presence.

It's a case at times of the little halfback emerging from within the enormous 20-year-old prop and bringing into play his catching, passing and supporting. He can also turn his skills to hooker or loosehead prop.

Tameifuna's lucky to have had considerable support from hooker and Samoan World Cup captain Mahonri Schwalger and his uncle (or second cousin, depending on who you believe), Sona Taumalolo. Either way, having the option of chatting in Tongan to a family member before scrummaging seems to have galvanised his confidence in Super Rugby's cauldron.

Chiefs forwards coach Tom Coventry has monitored Tameifuna's progress since he was a fifth former at Hastings Boys' High School.

"We tried to build a front row factory where young players like Ben could pack down and learn against the likes of Clint Newland, Sona [Taumalolo] and Anthony Perenise. It meant he was exposed to top quality forward play early. Ben was a shining light in those programmes. He's played New Zealand secondary schools, under-20s and Hawke's Bay [when Coventry was assistant coach]. He's got the pedigree.

Coventry says Tameifuna has made a great start considering his age and limited experience.

"Ben continues to develop in size and strength. He's an athletic fellow who carries his weight well but the trade-off will always be working on his mobility and fitness. His primary role is winning set pieces because we know he's naturally gifted carrying the ball.

"He needs to pay attention to his core duties first. He scrummed well during the pre-season which gave us some selection grief. It's no easy feat keeping him under control."

Former All Black Richard Loe has a couple of things in common with Tameifuna. Loe used to play in the same Glenmark club team in Canterbury with his uncle Alex (aka former All Black "Grizz" Wyllie). Along similar lines to Tameifuna's circumstances, Loe got the call-up for the All Blacks during a 1986 injury crisis in France when playing for Lyon. It sparked a nine-year international career.

"He strikes me as a young bloke who has done a good job in a team that is playing well," Loe says. "At 130-odd kgs he'd take a bit of bending. It's a bit different now with forward selections. Back in my day, few forwards tended to make it to the top level before their mid-20s. The only 20-year-olds who made it tended to have a double digit number on their backs.

"It'll be a big test whether he can hang in. There are a lot of big Island boys around but he's clearly got more promise than most, he's using his top two inches to do a good job. Had everyone stayed fit, he probably wouldn't have got there this season, so he's got make the most of it."