GYM OWNER IN AWE OF HEAVY-LIFTING BOKS

A TOWNSVILLE gym had a record amount of tin thrown around this week by the reigning rugby world champions, leaving onlookers’ jaws on the floor.

PLC Townsville hosted the South African side this week as they look to bounce back from successive defeats to the Wallabies in the Rugby Championship.

You couldn’t wipe the smile off owner Peter Taifalos’s face after rubbing shoulders with the world champions.

“It’s been awesome,” Mr Taifalos said. “I can’t really explain the experience. I had the Indigenous All Stars at the start of the year and they were great. But to have the Springboks was incredible.”

The Springboks boast a behemoth forward pack headlined by man mountain Eben Etzebeth. The lock stands at 2.03m, weighs 122kg and once strapped 5kg plates to either side of 65kg dumbbells so they were heavy enough for him to benchpress.

“They were the biggest men I’ve ever seen,” Mr Taifalos said.

“With the All Stars I thought Blake Ferguson, Latrell (Mitchell) and (Jack) Wighton were lifting big tin.

“But Tuesday was the big day for the Springboks and some of their forwards were squatting 200kg and benching big numbers.

“Some of their smaller players were incredibly strong as well.”

Mr Taifalos said the side’s professionalism was infectious.

“I got to see them train every day and how they train. I got to see how they lift, how they prepare themselves and what they do after.

“In a nice way, Covid has been a blessing for us. We’re getting exposed to countries, sports and teams we never thought we would.

“As a town we never thought we’d get the All Stars, NRL Finals and now a double-header of international rugby.”