Joseph Dweba

Few hookers in European rugby carry the physical presence of Joseph Dweba. A South African front-row forward born on 25 October 1995, he has combined serious scrum power with ball-carrying aggression to become one of the more distinctive hookers of his generation. Dweba's game is built on raw physicality. He is a heavy, abrasive carrier who takes the ball forward with intent in the tight channels, hitting contact with real momentum and giving his forward pack a repeated gain-line threat. At the set-piece he brings weight and power into the scrum, and he is a willing competitor at the breakdown and in collision defence. His career has taken him through demanding environments in South Africa and Europe, including time in the Top 14 before his move into the English Premiership with Exeter Chiefs. That exposure to different forward-pack philosophies has broadened his rugby understanding and given him experience against elite hookers across multiple competitions. Dweba has also featured in Springboks squads, reflecting his standing within the wider South African hooker picture during a hugely competitive era in the national set-up. At Exeter he offers a physically imposing option in the front row, and his combination of power, mobility and matchday experience makes him a trusted senior figure within the Chiefs pack.