England prospect on his ‘love’ for Top 14 and its differences to Prem as he addresses potential homecoming
Junior Kpoku (front right) with an inset of Steve Borthwick (left)
England U20s star Junior Kpoku has not given up on his hope of a senior Test debut in the famous white jersey, but insists he is still loving life in the Top 14.
The towering lock has long been seen as a potential Test star for England following his strong displays in the U20s; however, he is currently ineligible to play for the senior side due to his commitments in France.
Kpoku headed to Paris in 2023 following a brief stint with Exeter Chiefs, and has since made 21 senior appearances for the club.
‘It’s fluid and you just play rugby’
While club rugby continues to be tested to its maximum, the Top 14 seems to be growing in both quality and popularity. The recent final between Toulouse and Bordeaux-Begles posted a whopping TV audience of over five million, with free-to-air France 2 drawing in 28.5% of the audience share. On the pitch, too, Top 14 clubs have begun to dominate the European game, with the last five Champions Cup winners coming from France, and some of the very best talent in the world game now ply their trade across the top flight.
That quality is also seemingly rubbing off on England prodigy Kpoku, who has gone from strength to strength since making his Racing debut during the 2023/24 campaign, and he feels it’s the sort of unstructured play that has helped his development along.
“Playing in the Top 14 is much harder than playing in the Prem, because the Prem is more structured,” he told Planet Rugby.
“If you watched the final of the Top 14 (Toulouse v Bordeaux), it was a mess! I was speaking to Ben Redshaw (England U20s and Gloucester back) who was there watching, and we both said ‘you’d never get this in the Prem’, but that’s why everyone loves it. You can just go out and play rugby, and that’s what it is.
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“When it comes to the Prem, you might have specific shapes or systems, but in France, it’s fluid and you just play rugby.
He added: “I love it. It’s physical, but I love that physicality. You go to Bordeaux and you have a 150kg prop running at you, and you go ‘oh this is going to hurt’, but it is what it is. I love it.”
The pathway for young players in the Top 14 is also arguably the best in the world right now. The likes of Louis Bielle-Biarrey, Posolo Tuilagi, Mickael Guillard, Marco Gazzotti, Davit Niniashvili and Nolann le Garrec are just some of the best talent to be produced by French clubs in recent years, while the France U20s programme continues to deliver high success.
Les Bleus won the recent U20s Six Nations title, pipping England on the final day, and have also reached the past four Junior World Championship finals, winning three in a row between 2018 and 2023 (the competition was cancelled in 2020, 2021 and 2022).
“I’ve said this to people in my boat, but going to France when you’re younger is really good,” Kpoku said. “Over in England, if you’re young you might go to uni or go out on loan, but in France there aren’t loans, there’s no such thing. You’re always at your club, so if you sign for Racing, you’ll always play for Racing, but just in the U23s.
He added: “It’s a good level too, because you’ll play against boys from the first team who just haven’t been selected. It’s still a really high level. Once you perform at that level, the coach could then go ‘Oh let’s give this kid a go in the first team’. It’s really good.”
‘I’d love to come back and play for my country’
The former Saracens academy member is one of a number of players impressing across the Channel, either in the Top 14 or Pro D2. Jack Willis continues to win major accolades for Toulouse, Dave Ribbans, Lewis Ludlum and Kyle Sinckler have all shone for Toulon and the likes of Billy Vunipola, Joe Simmonds, Courtney Lawes and Teimana Harrison also continue to post impressive performances at their respective new clubs as well.
But, while the others might have waved goodbye to their Test careers for a taste of croissants, baguettes and toppling behemoths, Kpoku is still dreaming of pulling on the white jersey at some point in his career, once his French life has reached its conclusion, that is.
“One day I would (return from France), 100%. I’d love to come back and play for my country. But, at the moment, I’m tied down to Racing and I’ve got a job to do there.
The versatile forward has also already spent time within the England senior camp, after being invited by Steve Borthwick during the Six Nations.
“It was really good, it was really quick, physical and the details in everything was top notch. It was a lot, but I enjoyed it.”
If England do want to lock Kpoku in for the future, they will need to act fast as he also becomes eligible to play for Les Bleus from next year. Could there be a fight on the cards?
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