On the pitch, Uini Atonio’s super-strength was his super-sized frame. As a teenager, the 6ft 4in prop weighed more than 26st – a formidable tight-head foundation on which to build a set-piece.
Yet, in his native New Zealand, that heft was initially seen as a weakness. Doubts about Atonio’s endurance and mobility meant that despite a promising junior career that saw him captain Wesley College – Jonah Lomu’s alma mater – and represent provincial side Counties Manukau at age-grade level, he started working as a landscaper and seemed to be slipping out of rugby.
The former Gloucester prop Patrice Collazo, in charge of then second-tier La Rochelle, spotted some wasted potential and convinced a 21-year-old Atonio to travel to the other side of the world in an attempt to revive his career.
It worked superbly. The slower, more power-based style of French rugby suited Atonio and La Rochelle soon rose to the Top 14. He was part of a heavyweight pack that ran through Leinster in the 2022 Champions Cup final and then retained their crown by repeating the trick a year later.
Internationally, he qualified for France on residency grounds under the old three-year rule and made his debut in 2014. By then his weight was down to 23st, giving him the ability to be a regular gainline runner as well as a scrum threat.
He was a key part of the 2022 side that won a Grand Slam and finishes his career with 68 caps to his name.
