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The World Rugby U20 Championship is a breeding ground for future stars – but some of these prospects look like they’ve skipped the academy and gone straight to the strongman circuit.
From 140kg wrecking balls to locks too heavy to lift, here are the tournament’s biggest units, in every sense of the word.
Enoch Opoku-Gyamfi – Italy
The 6’5, 142kg Italian is one of the largest players on show this year. Currently in Bath Rugby’s academy, he has earned seven caps for Italy U20 and has been a real weapon for the Azzurrini at the Championship. He can play No.8 or second row, although he’s understood to be too heavy to be lifted in lineouts. He may yet qualify to play for England at senior level.
Mohamed Megherbi – France
The tighthead was previously listed on Toulouse’s website at 156kg, which would have made him the world’s heaviest professional rugby player at just 20 years old. The 6’3 prop has now slimmed down to a relatively svelte 138kg. Megherbi has won national titles with Toulouse’s Crabos (2022, 2023), the Espoirs (2024), and the U20 Six Nations with France in 2025.
Olamide Sodeke – England
Standing at 6’7 and weighing 126kg, England second-row Sodeke is one of the largest athletes on display in northern Italy. The Saracen has represented England at every age grade, winning the 2024 U20 Six Nations and World Championship. A former Gravesend Grammar head boy, he studies at King’s College London and credits Blackheath RFC and coach Nick Kennedy as key influences in his rugby journey.
Alejandro Barrios – Argentina
Second-row Alejandro Barrios is listed at 6’7 and 135.5kg. Although he hasn’t featured in a matchday 23 so far in Italy, the Argentine man mountain – who plays for the Olivos club – is part of their wider squad for the 2025 World Rugby U20 Championship.
Ollie Blyth-Lafferty – Scotland
Standing at 191cm and tipping the scales at 136kg, Blyth-Lafferty, a Boroughmuir RFC product, rose through the ranks to Scotland U20 following standout performances for Scotland U18. A FOSROC Academy player aligned with Edinburgh, he gained senior experience with Currie, Heriot’s, and the Futures XV, and debuted alongside brother Jerry at the 2024 U20 Trophy.
Jamie Stewart – Scotland
Scotland also have 6’4, 130kg prop Jamie Stewart on the books. Stewart began rugby in Edinburgh before moving to Devon, where he played for Kingsbridge RFC, Blundell’s School, and the Exeter Chiefs Academy. He returned to Scotland in 2024 to join Edinburgh’s pro-academy and made his Scotland U20 debut in the 2025 Six Nations after featuring at U18 level.
Gael Galván – Argentina
Galván is a powerful tighthead prop standing at 6’3 and weighing 137.6kg. He plays for Club Pucará in Argentina. A product of their system, Galván has progressed through the national age grades and is part of Argentina’s squad for the 2025 World Rugby U20 Championship.
Lenny Alifanety – France
Another giant Frenchman, Alifanety’s tale of the tape reads 6’4 and 131kg. Currently with Union Bordeaux Bègles, he’s featured twice at this year’s World Rugby U20 Championship, having come through Bordeaux’s Espoirs setup.
Aisake Vakasiuola – New Zealand
Born in Tauranga and representing Bay of Plenty, Vakasiuola is a respectable 197cm, 122kg back-five forward who has already been picked up by the Chiefs. The 20-year-old is a strong carrier and dominant presence in the tight exchanges.
Junior Kpoku – England
A familiar name with serious pedigree, Junior Kpoku is following in the footsteps of twin brothers Joel and Jonathan. The Racing second-row weighs in at 119kg and stands at a towering 6’8, bringing real physicality to England’s engine room at the championship.
Edwin Langi – Australia
Edwin Langi is a powerfully built tighthead standing at 6’1 and weighing in at 126kg and representing the Waratahs. A product of The King’s School and the Drummoyne Dirty Reds, the 19-year-old now plays his senior rugby for Eastern Suburbs.
Trevor King – Australia
A powerful 127kg scrummager from Queensland, Trevor King is 6’2 and plays for the Reds. The Downlands College product came through Gladstone Rugby Union and now features for Souths.
Caleb Woodley – New Zealand
While one of the lighter players on this list, Caleb Woodley is anything but small for a flanker. At 197cm and 122kg, the Auckland-born Blues back-rower is a towering presence with the frame of a second-row and the engine of a loose forward. A serious prospect in New Zealand’s 2025 U20 squad.
