Update: 6:01PM HE is so big he had to have a jersey specially made so that he could play Test rugby.
Meet Uini Atonio, the French prop who holds the unofficial title of world rugbys biggest bopper.
New Zealand-born Atonio stands just shy of two metres tall (196cm) and, according to his La Rochelle club website, weighs in at a whopping 152kg.
So much so that when Atonio was called up for his Test debut against Fiji at the end of last year, French staff had to get a special jersey made for him as there were no sizes big enough to fit his enormous frame.
He is unofficially the second heaviest player in international rugby behind 165kg former Fijian behemoth Bill Cavubati
He is more than 40 kilograms heavier than Phil Kearns during his playing days,
He weights the equivalent of 50 bricks.
Australian rugby fans used to the sight of their own man mountain Will Skelton who weighs in at a comparably light 135kg got a glimpse of the giant in action when he came off the bench during Les Bleus’ 29-26 win over the Wallabies at Stade de France in November.
Atonio was this week included in Philippe Saint-Ande’s 23-man squad for the tournament which kicks off next weekend. Les Bleus open their campaign at home against Scotland on Sunday, February 8 (AEDT).
