Born and raised in Tbilisi, Jaba Bregvadze is yet another Georgian front ranker who has dominated the tight exchanges at the highest level. Having made his mark for RC Kochebi in the Georgian Championship, Jaba first pulled on a national team jersey in 2008, when the then 21-year-old took on the might of the Emerging Springboks. Originally stamping his authority as a Loosehead Prop, a move to Stade Toulousain saw him specialize as a stoic and unmovable hooker. So dependable was Jaba’s lineout throwing that he was soon featuring regularly in the French Top 14 and European Challenge Cup, spending three seasons in Southwestern France before signing with the Worcester Warriors ahead of the 2015/16 Aviva Premiership season.

The seasoned campaigner brought a wealth of experience to the ambitious Warriors squad, and he had already featured in two Rugby World Cups by the time he landed in England. A brief stint at Krasny Yar Krasnoyarsk saw him once again feature in the European Challenge Cup, but when Japan’s new Super Rugby franchise, the Sunwolves, sought the firepower and mobility needed to compete in the Southern Hemisphere’s toughest competition, they knew who to turn to. Currently in the peak of his powers, the 54-test behemoth is the set-piece expert to turn to, when the pressure is on.