The Lobos forward pack has been purring since Patrice Lagisquet came in, and Mike Tadjer’s impact on the front row has been a game-changer for Portugal.

Here are some things you should know about him.

Ten things you should know about Mike Tadjer

1. He was born in Massy, France, on the 10th March 1989, to a Portuguese father, David Barbosa da Silva, and a Syrian mother, Eliane Tadjer. He is the youngest of three siblings.

2. At the age of eleven he started playing rugby for RC Massyone which would also be his first team as a senior player. He still follows his hometown side closely.

3. In 2008-09 he signed for Racing Metró 92 and helped them secure a ProD2 championship, playing in three matches across all season.

4. 2015 marked his first Top14 season. He was selected as the MVP in his first match, and was also dubbed “Agen’s Ronaldo”, as he set up a try following a great kick.

5. He has also played CA Brive, FC Grenoble, ASM Clermont, USA Montauban, and USA Perpginan.

6. In 2012 he chose to play for Portugal, a dream that he had since as a child. His first cap was against Romania in February 2012 for the Europe Nations Cup.

7. As a club journeyman, the hooker already amassed almost 300 games as a professional. RC Massyone was the team for which he played the most games.

Mike Tadjer running with the ball (Getty Images)

8. Outside of the rugby pitch, Mike Tadjer took a degree in business and sales and is currently making use of it as he started his first business.

9. Mike Tadjer married Christelle Tadjer in 2016, and the couple have two children, Andrea and Sandro.

10. In an interview he shared that his favourite Portuguese dishes are bacalhau à brás (cod with chips), pastel de nata (custard pie), and bolas de berlim (a type of donut).

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