Steve Mafi bulks up to revive Super Rugby dream with Western Force after NRC stint for Greater Sydney Rams

MOST people curse the Heathrow Injection. Steve Mafi not only welcomed the infamous weight gain of a move to England, he built a career on it.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 28: Rams Stephe Mafi is tackled by Vikings Les Makin during the round two National Rugby Championship match between the Greater Sydney Rams and the Canberra Vikings at Pirtek Stadium on August 28, 2014 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Daniel Munoz/Getty Images)

MOST people curse the Heathrow Injection.

Steve Mafi not only welcomed the infamous weight gain of a move to England, he built a career on it.

“After only about two months over there, I probably put on 10 kilograms,” Mafi says.

Ten new kilograms would spell a crash diet for mortals but for Mafi, the Greater Sydney Rams lock and new Western Force signing, they were the missing link.

For several years prior, while with the Waratahs academy, Mafi had battled to add bulk to his exciting athleticism.

Though playing centre for the Parramatta Two Blues, 198cm Mafi would jump in the lineout and packed down in scrums at no. 8 as well.

But arriving at the Tahs in 2008 as a lock weighing 100kg wringing wet, Mafi was ordered to fill out. Fast.

“They gave me diet plans and stuff to put on weight but nothing was working. I even tried eating Maccas and same thing, didn’t work,” he said.

“I got to about 108-110kg.”

Steve Mafi in action for the Greater Sydney Rams at Pirtek Stadium on Thursday night.

With most Super Rugby locks all 120kg-plus, at the end of 2009 Mafi was tapped.

“They said: “If you can’t put on weight, sorry, we have to sign someone else”,” Mafi says.

“Being brought up in NSW, I had always wanted to play for the Waratahs, so yeah, to finally get there but then get released, at the time it felt like a kick in the guts for sure.”

Out of nowhere, Mafi got a call to join UK powerhouse club Leicester as injury cover. Sounds good, he thought, but just one thing: which one is Leicester again?

“I didn’t know much about them. I didn’t really know the difference between Leicester and Leinster,” Mafi said.

“I hadn’t seen a game. But before I left a few of the boys told me that’s where Lote Tuqiri went, and that gave me the impression it must be a pretty big club.”

It was, and still is. In 2010 the Tigers were busy topping the Premiership ladder for the third straight season.

Mafi’s swift weight gain — put down to less running and more tailored strength and conditioning training — saw him thrown into the starting side, and the boy from Fairfield thrived.

Playing with and against huge names in European rugby, Mafi helped Leicester win titles in 2010 and 2013 and remarkably, was voted players’ player in his second season, 2011-12.

This, at a club containing huge names like Martin Castrogiovanni, Toby Flood and Manu Tuilagi.

“It was a culture shock at first but everything worked out so well. I fitted in so well, they had me playing six, and also gave me the licence to play out wide as well,” Mafi says.

“Obviously being there for four years, with so many experienced boys, it gave me the chance to adapt and play tight as well.”

Mafi became a Welford Road fan favourite — not easy in Leicester — and his profile was huge. A recent decision to return home to Australia was big news in the UK.

A new child — son Fine is now 10 months — saw Mafi travelling back and forth to Australia in recent times, and when an opportunity with the Force opened up, he decided to come home with a year left on his Tigers contract.

Ironically the Waratahs were also keen but even more ironically, Mafi was swayed to sign by one of the men who’d tapped him at NSW: now Force coach Michael Foley.

“I am not one to hold grudges. That was his job being the forwards coach,” Mafi said.

“He gave me a call and I spoke to my cousin Sam Wykes about everything. I watched them play this year and they’re obviously on the way up. It’s a good fit.”

Mafi has played Tests for Tonga since leaving too, however, meaning a Wallaby future is uncertain. There may be potential eligibility loopholes to jump through with the Olympics, but otherwise it would require waiting until 2017.

“If a chance to play with the Wallabies came up, of course I am interested, but I am honestly not even looking at that right now,” Mafi says.

“I am trying to get back into it with the Rams, and getting used to the game back here. It’s more open and fast. But I am a lot more confident about myself now than what I was when I left. It just feels good to be back.”