WATCH: All Blacks hooker bench presses 195kg in INSANE lift

Adam Kyriacou
Hurricanes and New Zealand hooker Asafo Aumua bench pressing.

Hurricanes and New Zealand hooker Asafo Aumua bench pressing.

All Blacks and Hurricanes hooker Asafo Aumua is set to be coming into the new Super Rugby Pacific campaign with extra strength after he benched 195kg in a gym session.

A video of the 26-year-old doing one repetition of the insane weight has surfaced on social media today with his Hurricanes team-mates cheering on the remarkable lift.

Aumua, who was once viewed as a future long-term All Blacks hooker, has played just six matches for his country after falling down the pecking order at international level.

Incredible lift

However, he looks raring to go ahead of the upcoming campaign and knows a strong season in Hurricanes colours could lead to more All Blacks appearances during 2024.

New Zealand will be without the retired Dane Coles, who is continuing his club career in Japan Rugby League One, with Codie Taylor and Samisoni Taukei’aho of the Crusaders and Chiefs the other hookers who made the 2023 Rugby World Cup squad under former head coach Ian Foster once more expected to feature heavily in this year’s Test action.

Aumua will hope to push that duo hard in 2024 and offers something unique around the field, with his incredible pace and power having tormented defences so far in his career. A barnstorming Super Rugby Pacific campaign in that area combined with a solid set-piece could well lead to a return to the set-up under new head coach Scott Robertson.

Judging from the footage at this Hurricanes gym session, his strength on the weights bench has reached a new level as he celebrated with his supportive team-mates.

However, the lift hasn’t pleased everyone as users’ comments under the video posted on X, formerly Twitter, were clearly not bowled over by the huge 195kg bench press.

“Does not make you better player,” wrote Steve Haag Sports while Phil not Bob appeared to joke that Aumua bounced the weight off his chest in an illegal manner.

There was also some criticism for the player spotting the press as X users questioned what help he would provide had the hooker ran into trouble with the enormous lift.

“What would the chap spotting even do here if he was needed,” wrote Dancin’ French Danson, while chr!s71 has urged hooker Aumua to get “a proper spotter” next time.

No Ardie Savea

Thankfully the Hurricanes star had no major problems completing the lift and will hope to enjoy further gains on the field during the upcoming Super Rugby Pacific campaign.

Clark Laidlaw’s men will be eager to improve on last season’s quarter-final finish but are missing influential number eight Ardie Savea due to his playing commitments in Japan.

The Hurricanes kick off the season against the Western Force in Perth on February 23 before facing off with the Reds in the Super Round in Melbourne the following week.

READ MORE: Is it finally Damian McKenzie’s time in the new All Blacks era?

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