Hounds Sign Veteran Prop Zurabi Zhvania

CHICAGO, I.L.- The Chicago Hounds continued their flurry of offseason moves by signing a veteran prop.

 Zurabi Zhvania, a Georgian-international player, joins Chicago’s professional rugby franchise after agreeing to terms for the 2024 Major League Rugby season.

Zhvania, 32, makes the move to MLR after spending the previous two seasons with Grenoble in the Pro D2 league in France. The veteran made 24 appearances, including 13 starts, with Grenoble, and scored three tries during his time there.

Prior to Grenoble, the prop played three seasons with the London Wasps in the Premiership. Zhvania earned 35 caps with the premiership side and started 21 of those matches, adding three tries to his career stat-sheet. He was on the field for 1,565 minutes, averaging just over 45 minutes per game.

The prop’s professional career began in 2013 with Stade Francais, where he spent six seasons before moving onto the Wasps. He was a mainstay in the Top 14 club’s lineup and earned 92 caps for the team. Zhvania scored 40 points, eight tries, in his 3,037 minutes on the field and started 34 matches for the team.

Zhvania brings additional international test experience to the Hounds’ front row. The 5-foot-10, 275 pound prop earned 41 caps for Georgia, with a test career spanning from 2013 through 2021. His try-scoring ability carried over to test play and he’s credited with 11 tries for the Georgians. Zhvania won 31 test matches, good enough for a 78% career winning percentage at the test level.

To date, the new-look Chicago Hounds have signed the following players:

• Nick McCarthy, scrumhalf
• Ben Landry, lock/flanker
• Dave Kearney, wing
• Bryce Campbell, center
• Zurabi Zhvania, prop