Gargantuan second-row Emmanuel Meafou is still coming to terms with his ‘special’ France selection for the Six Nations Championship.
Weighing over 22 stone, he is a huge presence in the middle of the forward pack and has been one of the best locks in Europe over the past couple of years.
In a similar mould to and La Rochelle powerhouse Will Skelton, Meafou is a powerful carrier at close quarters, dominates physically and is very useful in the scrum.
He also has tremendous hands with an ability to off-load in traffic, and those skills will be on show during the upcoming
.
The 25-year-old was born in New Zealand and raised in Australia but moved to France after no offers were forthcoming from teams in the southern hemisphere.
Meafou duly joined Top 14 side Toulouse in December 2018, becoming eligible for five years later via World Rugby’s residency laws.
It meant that the second-row was unable to take part in the Rugby World Cup, but he was given assurances by the French hierarchy that
“I do not pretend to say that my presence is logical, but it is certain that I expected it perhaps more than others,” Meafou told Midi Olympique.
“Before the World Cup, the staff of the French XV explained to me that when everything was settled at an administrative level, I would be called up.
“They kept their word, and I also told myself that I did what was necessary to maintain their trust.
“Even though we’ve been talking about it for several weeks… it’s still special to see your name on the list.
“There are a lot of emotions for me to prepare for such a competition with the France team. For me and my family, this is a great moment in our lives. I still try to keep in mind that this is just a step.”
Meafou’s form did not go unnoticed by those in Australia, who questioned how such a player managed to slip through their fingers.
Eddie Jones admitted to contacting the lock about potentially representing the Wallabies while he was head coach, but revealed that the Toulouse forward had set his sights on France.
He has, therefore, received plenty of messages on both sides of the equator, with his friends and family back home also offering their congratulations.
“It (phone) doesn’t stop! In addition, there are now all my relatives living in Australia who are learning the news little by little,” he said.
“It’s not going to stop vibrating so quickly, but it’s only to have nice messages, so I enjoy reading everything that people send me.”
Meafou will hope to be singing France’s famous national anthem, La Marseillaise, when Les Bleus take on Ireland in the huge Six Nations opener.
“I am proud to say that I know the words.
As for the performance… I will let others judge,” he added.
