Thu 29 Oct 2015 | 03:06
Giant Mat Luamanu barrels through Fijian Seremaia Bai

8
Comments

Last week we posted a clip of George Smith being smashed on his Premiership debut.  Someone that contributed to the double tackle was massive Harlequins number eight, Mat Luamanu. On this occasion it was him with ball in hand, and Seremaia Bai on the receiving end.

The New Zealand born powerhouse was signed from Benetton Treviso just a few months ago. Before playing in Italy, he spent time with the Blues in Super Rugby in 2011, then went to Japan.

"In any squad you are always looking for a point of difference and we have no doubt that Mat can provide us with that," said Harlequins Director of Rugby, Conor O'Shea.

"Mat's sheer size, power and footballing ability will provide a very interesting challenge to teams in the Aviva Premiership and in Europe and we look forward to working with a player whose best years can still be ahead of him."

Against Leicester Tigers 27-year-old Luamanu got the ball in space, so took on centre Bai.

It looks like a headclash (face clash?) was actually the reason for the Fijian falling to the floor, but there's no doubt that the number eight is an absolutely huge unit, especially if the talk of him being around 140kg's is to be believed.

Bai went way too high on a guy that powerful, and paid the price, as you can see in the video and gif. He actually had to leave the field after the clash, just five minutes into the match.

An impressive note is that Luamanu then got rid of the second tackler too, before offloading beautifully when he was actually taken down. He seems to be one to watch this season.

You can view the collision below, and a short highlights wrap beneath that

8 Comments

  • stroudos
    4:16 PM 02/11/2015

    @bnations - I agree with your second sentence, but not your first. Left palm on the shoulder and his right hand is wrapped around the ball.

    I'm fairly confident in saying I've never attempted to tackle anyone quite that large, but if/when I do I'll be sure to get a LOT lower on the bugger than Bai did here...

  • drg
    12:24 AM 31/10/2015

    Cous cous eaters?

    hahaha

  • bnations
    2:45 PM 30/10/2015

    Well, it looks to me like Bai was on the receiving end of an uppercut to the jaw. Too many of the "handoffs" today are little more than disguised punches.

  • katman
    6:37 AM 30/10/2015

    Jeepers, at this rate rugby teams are going to have to start competing in weight divisions.

  • 10stonenumber10
    4:25 AM 30/10/2015

    A beast like that should be sentenced to a strict Vegan diet, and banned until he can fit in the middle seat of an economy airline (without taking up both armrests)

  • drg
    12:37 AM 30/10/2015

    Apologies... he is not Fijian, however he is an islander..

  • drg
    12:36 AM 30/10/2015

    Never mind all that glorifying.. just ban the bloke from playing...

    He's far too big and Fijian, he's bound to be banned for something nonsensical soon, might as well get it over with...

  • 10stonenumber10
    10:38 PM 29/10/2015

    A Vulgar display of power. Someone should remix this with Pantera.