Harlequins had a tough week of training ahead of their upcoming West London derby this Sunday. The World’s Strongest Brothers in Tom and Luke Stoltman arrived at Surrey Sports Park to train with Harlequins, with the two world’s colliding through their joint sponsor Reign Body Fuel.
The Scots are two incredibly decorated strongmen. Tom Stoltman is a two-time winner of the converted World’s Strongest Man competition, and also Britain’s Strongest Man. Tom has won both competitions back to back, in 2021 and 2022. Older brother Luke, is the 2021 Europe’s Strongest Man, and a five-time winner of Scotland’s Strongest Man. The 38-year-old dominated the competition North of the border, winning consecutive titles from 2013 to 2017.
In typical Stoltman style, the brothers hit the Harlequins gym first. They trained with young Quins stars Fin Baxter and Hayden Hyde, before speaking with the whole squad about their intense training schedule. They then took to the pitch for scrums, and even took on Marcus Smith and Tommy Allan in kicking practice.
The Brothers ended the day by racing each other, whilst pushing two 4×4 Reign trucks down the touchline! Wales legend and Harlequins Coach Adam Jones was delighted to have the brothers in the Quins camp. A fan of the strongman sport, Jones discussed the afternoon’s session.
“Although they were first and foremost, it was brilliant to see. I’ve always been a fan of that genre of sport and you know, growing up watching the likes of Geoff Capes and Jon Poll Sigmarsson, and Magnus ver Magnusson, and Gary Taylor and all these type of guys you know, growing up was was a huge thing, especially Christmas time on TV to watch it.”
“They had a go in the scrum, they had a go at lifting. I think Tom lifted one of our flankers Will Trenholm up, and I think he got a little bit scared of how high up he went, so it was brilliant. It was interesting to you know, you think they just go and pull things or lift things, but you know, the amount of kind of effort that has to go in to which sounds ridiculous, eating, and you know having to eat 15,000 calories or whatever it is a day.
And even to someone like me, that sounds really good. But when you kind of break it down how much your time is eating and spending it in the gym, it’s unbelievably dedicated it’s unbelievably professional.”
The former British and Irish Lion was overwhelmed by the brothers bond. He believes that older brother Luke Stoltman is a role model for sportsmen and women, regardless of their competition.
“It was a great experience. And it was a brilliant to actually hear and to see the bond between them, you know, obviously they both going for the same goal. Obviously Tom’s got there twice (World’s Strongest Man), but then the support he gets from Luke is, you know, phenomenal really.
And obviously he (Luke Stoltman) needs to want to be World’s Strongest Man, but that kind of pride he has in his brother, and he pushes his brother to be World’s Strongest Man, and he’s almost coaching. So he is someone, I think a lot of sportsmen could learn off, Luke Stoltman. You know, about around support and around, putting someone else’s goals ahead of you.”