Jonah Thompson

Six foot three and ninety-nine kilos, which in the backs means a centre rather than a runner.

Jonah Thompson is 1.90m and 99kg, born on 31 August 2005. Among the Bayonne backs that is a midfielder’s build, not a back-three one.

For comparison, Herschel Jantjies, the South Africa scrum-half in the same squad, is 1.64m and 77kg. There are 26cm and 22kg between two men who are both listed as backs.

Nothing about Thompson’s career has been published. Nothing has been written about him anywhere, no cap at any age-grade level, and the club’s season summaries pass over him.

Bayonne’s midfield and back three are stocked with senior internationals: Gareth Anscombe of Wales, Reece Hodge of Australia, Mateo Carreras of Argentina and Sireli Maqala of Fiji. A twenty-year-old is not displacing that group this season and probably not next.

What his size does buy him is time. A big centre can be developed slowly, used off a bench, and moved to the wing if the midfield does not open up, and clubs are patient with that profile in a way they are not with a small one.

Beyond the measurements there is nothing to report, and this page will say so until there is.