Copyright walesonline
The biggest teenage rugby player in the world is set to be unleashed on the international stage this autumn after being named in the Italy squad for their November Test matches. Enoch Opoku-Gyamfi, who is 19 years old, plays his rugby for Bath in the Gallagher PREM and has been included in Gonzalo Queseda's 36-player squad for their upcoming fixtures. Weighing in at over 23 stone (148kg), Opoku-Gyamfi stands at 6ft 5in and packs down in the second row, adding some serious beef to the Italian pack. With such a sizeable frame, he isn't just big for his age, he is up there with the biggest rugby players on the planet. For reference, Australia giant Will Skelton comes in at 6ft 8 and almost 23 stone, with France's Posolo Tuilagi standing at 6ft 4in and also weighing 23 stone. Born in Portogruaro, Italy, to Ghanian parents, Opoku-Gyamfi moved to Milton Keynes as a youngster and came through St Pauls Catholic School before going on to represent Milton Keynes RFC. He was picked up by Bath while playing for England South West Counties, and so could one day qualify to also play for England. Now that he has been called up by Quesada ahead of the autumn series, footage of him ripping through Wales players at U20s level has resurfaced, with over 200,000 people viewing the clip on TikTok. You can watch it yourself below. Reacting to the lock's powerful display earlier this year, one fan said: "Him and the number eight are the strongest ones on our team. I truly believe that they will play in the national team. "That's my beast man!," said another, while one wrote: "Man is so strong." In an interview with The Telegraph during the U20 Six Nations , Opoku-Gyamfi coincidentally identified Tuilagi and Skelton as two names to have inspired him to pursue his rugby dream because they are a similar size to him. However, while growing up in Italy as a youngster, his hero was England legend Maro Itoje. "He was a star to me," explained the Bath forward. "Just because of how he was another young, black male enjoying success. Obviously he was in a different position, but I used to think Anthony Watson was the best player in the world, such a flair player." As a boy, Opoku-Gyamfi was always far bigger than his friends and one day, his father's friend asked him why he wasn't playing rugby, which is where the journey started for him. He also revealed that at the age of 13, he was already weighing in at over 18 stone (115kg). "A lot of people might think it’s just about throwing that weight around," he said. "But there’s a lot that comes with it. Running around the pitch a lot is hard and every time you get the ball, you have three people in front of you. "It can be tough, but I try to use that to help the team, using offloads and quick tips, playing out the back, putting on footwork – doing things that people might not expect me to do. I want to develop all of that." The 19-year-old struggled with speaking English when he first moved to the UK and would be mocked for his accent, having spent the majority of his life speaking Italian. Nevertheless, he got to grips with life in England and enrolled at Bath University, studying sports performance after completing A-levels in engineering. Opoku-Gyamfi also added that he is prepared to play anywhere "if that's what it takes" and understands he may have to cut weight or change position to make it at international level. This November, Italy will face Australia, South Africa and Chile, with Opoku-Gyamfi hoping to win his first international cap and showcase his immense power to the world again. Follow all of our channels to ensure you stay up to date with the latest Welsh rugby news. Sign up to our free daily newsletter here and our WhatsApp channel here for all the breaking news. You can also follow us on social media on our X account , Facebook , Instagram and TikTok. For more exclusive stories and in-depth analysis, you can sign up for the Inside Welsh Rugby substack newsletter here.
