England hopeful Val Rapava Ruskin downs THIRTY FIVE raw eggs a week. . . then tries not to throw the

VAL RAPAVA RUSKIN downs FIVE raw eggs every morning. . . then tries not to puke them back up.

But the Gloucester prop's stomach-churning breakfast is fuelling his England push as he looks to impress Eddie Jones ahead of this month's training camp.

Georgian-born Ruskin started the season with a bang against Northampton Saints.

And he will be hatching a similar plan for Bath in today's west country derby. . . after his morning milkshake, of course.

Giant front row Ruskin said: "You crack five eggs into a pint glass, get another pint glass full of orange and lime - I have a little machine that squeezes them – then you chug them down and hope you don’t throw up and make a big stain on the chef’s face.

"It looks absolutely horrific. . . but it’s what I have to do. It’s very difficult for a prop. It’s unlike any other position.

"You’ve got to keep your peak strength at scrums, while at the same time you want to lose body fat.

"Being a front-rower, strength is your priority so keeping that lean mass at a high point, while losing body fat, means you have to go to an extreme type of diet."

Egg-chasing, egg-swigging Ruskin and his Cherry and Whites teammates will come under heavy fire at The Rec as Todd Blackadder's side look to bounce back from their opening day defeat at Bristol Bears.

SATURDAY'S RUGBY

Wasps v Exeter Chiefs (2pm)

ENGLAND'S Brad Shields makes his Wasps debut and All Blacks fly-half Lima Sopoaga is set for his first run-out off the bench.Wales and Lions winger Alex Cuthbert is on the bench for the Chiefs.

Saracens v Bristol (3pm)

BILLY VUNIPOLA makes the Saracens bench after re-breaking his arm on England duty this summer.Bristol are without injured Charles Piutau until next month and boss Pat Lam has made eight changes.

Leicester Tiger v Newcastle Falcons (3pm)

KYLE EASTMOND starts alongside Manu Tuilagi in an all-England midfield for Geordan Murphy's first game in charge.Sinoti Sinoti has handed Newcastle a boost by returning straight back to their starting XV.

But it will be nothing compared to escaping war-torn Georgia in 2008 as bombs and missiles rained down around him and his family.

And besides, with tank-sized loose-head Ruskin in their armoury and fly-half general Danny Cipriani pulling the strings, Gloucester are looking a real force.

Cipriani's sensational 21m looped pass to set up Charlie Sharples' try at Kingsholm came about thanks to a huge scrum from Ruskin.

And the forward said: "Danny's talent speaks for itself, it’s absolutely incredible. His vision, the way he executes – I’ve rarely seen anything like that.

"I was fortunate enough to do some academy time in Toulon. And to be able to watch Jonny Wilkinson, Matt Giteau and the Armitage brothers. . . it was pretty much like re-living those times.

"And I think Danny is one of the best 10s in the world."

While Ciprinai brings the class on game day, Ruskin brings the flare to training with his swish choice of designer shoes.

Although he still hasn't lived down the time his old Worcester Warriors teammates slated him for wearing Gucci loafers.

Ruskin added: "I had a pair of loafers and at Worcester there was a synthetic pitch.

"Wearing eight studs on a synthetic pitch, all the skin was coming off my feet. So, I was wearing very comfy loafers.

"There were boys walking around in Levis and random shoes. And then I came in wearing loafers that were five years old - that I wore as slippers.

"The boys absolutely killed me and it spread that I apparently I wore Gucci loafers to train in! I’m just trying to keep it on the low-down.

"It’s not about a prop wearing Gucci, it’s about a prop wearing Gucci when everyone’s going home from training, everyone’s muddy, and you’re just wearing Gucci loafers."

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