Ben Tameifuna

Ben Tameifuna
Full name Benjamin Vainga Charles Tameifuna
Date of birth 30 August 1991
Place of birth Auckland, New Zealand
Height 1.82 m (5 ft 11 1⁄2 in)
Weight 140 kg (22 st 1 lb)
School Hastings Boys' High School
Notable relative(s) Sona Taumalolo (uncle)
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position Tighthead Prop
Provincial/State sides
Years Club / team Caps (points)
2011–12
2013–		 Hawke's Bay
Waikato		 14
12		 (10)
(5)
correct as of 9 October 2014.
Super Rugby
Years Club / team Caps (points)
2012– Chiefs 50 (40)
correct as of 21 July 2014.
National team(s)
Years Club / team Caps (points)
2011 New Zealand U20 4 (5)
correct as of 5 November 2012.

Ben Tameifuna (pronounced IPA: [dɑːmeɪfʊnɑː]; born 30 August 1991) is a New Zealand rugby union footballer. He plays for the Chiefs in Super Rugby and Hawke's Bay Magpies in the ITM Cup. In 2012 he became the Chiefs first choice tighthead prop. He is also acknowledged for his ability to fill in at hooker.[1]

Career

Tameifuna made his Hawke Bay's debut as a teenager in 2010.[2] He represented New Zealand under 20s at the 2011 IRB Junior World Championship,[3] and in March 2012 he made has Chiefs debut after injury sidelined Ben Afeaki.[2] In 2013, he signed a contract extension with the Chiefs until 2014.[4]

In May 2012 he was selected for the All Blacks[5][6] to train for the three Test series against Ireland. At over 130 kg, he was the heaviest member of the All Black squad.

Relatives

Tameifuna's uncle Sona Taumalolo is another Chiefs prop, who also played for Tonga at the 2011 Rugby World Cup.[7] In July 2012, with hooker Mahonri Schwalger from Samoa, the two props combined for 60 minutes to help the Chiefs beat the Crusaders 20–17, at Waikato Stadium in Hamilton.[8]

References

  1. ↑ AFP (14 May 2012). "Loyalty and youth in All Blacks training squad". Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Pegden, Evan (1 March 2012). "Chiefs replacements young, gifted and large". Rugby Heaven. Fairfax. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  3. ↑ New-Zealand-Rugby-Under-20-squad-named
  4. ↑ "Chiefs re-sign six players" (Press release). Chiefs. 23 June 2013. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  5. ↑ "All Blacks seven new caps" (Press release). All Blacks and NZ Rugby. 3 June 2012. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  6. ↑ "Three rookies bring Chiefs All Blacks to six". Rugby Heaven. Fairfax. 4 June 2012. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  7. ↑ Mortimer, James (28 February 2012). "Ben Tameifuna could be called up by Chiefs" (Press release). All Blacks and NZ Rugby. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  8. ↑ "Match Breakdown: Chiefs vs Crusaders". SA Rugby. SARU. 27 July 2012. Retrieved 12 August 2012.

External links