Val Rapava-Ruskin – Gloucester Rugby
Regarded by many England fans to be long overdue a call-up, Gloucester’s Val Rapava-Ruskin has been on the fringes of an international breakthrough since the tail-end of the Eddie Jones era. The Georgian-born prop is regarded amongst the best scrummagers in the Premiership, and frequently comes up with the plaudits following a scrum-time turnover for the Cherry and Whites.
The prop also has a keen eye for the try line, and is able to make the key yards to muscle his way through defenders to score. Rapava-Ruskin scored five tries for Gloucester in the 2022/23 Premiership season, and has become a firm fan favourite with the Kingsholm faithful. The 30-year-old joined Gloucester back in 2017, and in February Rapava-Ruskin extended his contract in the West Country, where he will continue to ply his trade.
Already a Gloucester centurion, the timing seems right for Rapava-Ruskin to make the breakthrough onto the international stage. The Rugby World Cup is a marathon, and considering Rapava-Ruskin’s unexpected pace at the sprint, the prop will be a worthwhile asset to Borthwick’s squad for the upcoming competition.
Rapava-Ruskin would add a high quality reinforcement to the England pack, during the latter stages of a world cup fixture. Rapava-Ruskin could well make his debut in one of the four World Cup warm-up fixtures, as Borthwick tries out his entire arsenal of talent, before cutting down the squad for the competition.
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