Philemon the phenomenon wants an All Black future

One of rugby's most exciting talents has turned down the opportunity of playing for France in the hope of becoming an All Black.

Loosehead prop Philemon Toleafoa, 22, had been invited to join the French squad ahead of their Six Nations campaign, but he's likely to put pen to paper this week with the New Zealand Rugby Union before returning home in July to take up an NPC contract with Waikato.

Toleafoa, who stands 195cm and weighs in at 140kg, has been terrorising opponents playing for Montpellier, prompting the former French loosehead Christian Caliafano, who enjoyed a season with the Blues in 2000, to say Toleafoa was the form prop in the French league.

The NZRU has offered Toleafoa a two-and-a-half year contract, which will take him beyond the next World Cup in France, and he has also been offered an NPC deal with Waikato.

"I'm just finalising things with the New Zealand union now, but I've told the French union that I'm not going to do the training camp with them and I've also told my club that I'll be leaving at the end of the season," Toleafoa said.

Toleafoa had felt somewhat neglected by New Zealand as a junior, prompting him to move to France in 2001 - meaning he was now eligible to play for the French.

Things changed, though, when he met All Blacks coach Graham Henry during the northern tour last November and he's now targeted an All Blacks jersey in 2006.

"Speaking to Graham Henry, he's given me the confidence to give New Zealand a go," Toleafoa said. "France is still going to be there because New Zealand will let me go if things don't work out in the NPC or Super 12. But in 10 years' time, I don't want to look back and regret that I didn't give New Zealand a chance rather than just be happy playing for France."

Toleafoa said he was initially offered a contract to join the Auckland NPC side, but decided against it on the advice of Henry, who suggested going to an area less well off in the propping department.

Waikato chief executive Gary Dawson said that while nothing was official, they were excited about the prospect of adding Toleafoa to their squad.

"He's obviously an exciting young prospect and we would be keen to get him into the Waikato environment," Dawson said.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY