Georgia national rugby union team
Encyclopedia
The Georgia national rugby union team represents Georgia
in rugby union
. The team's nickname, The Lelos, comes from lelo burti
, a traditional Georgian sport with strong similarities to rugby. Lelo has been adopted as the Georgian
word for "try
" (the highest-valued score in rugby). One standard cheer of Georgian rugby union fans is Lelo, Lelo, Sakartvelo (Try, Try, Georgia).
Georgia is currently considered a second tier rugby union nation. The Lelos participate in the European Nations Cup
, winning the tournament in 2001, 2007-08
and 2008-10
seasons. Famously the Georgians, lacking the resources of the major nations, made scrum
machines from old Soviet tractors. The bulk of the national squad are based in France, in both the Top 14 and lower divisions. This is a practice that was popularized by former national team coach, Claude Saurel
, a Frenchman, who later coached neighboring rivals Russia.
Rugby union is one of the most popular sports in Georgia. The Georgian national sevens team became the first national side from Georgia to compete in a major tournament, playing in the International Rugby Board (IRB) Sevens World Cup in Argentina. However, the full national team would go onto qualify for the 2003 Rugby World Cup
- playing against rugby powers such as Ireland
and France
. In 2006 the Lelos qualified for the 2007 Rugby World Cup
in France
, they beat Namibia
by 30-0 for their first ever World Cup win. As of 27 March 2011, Georgia are ranked
14th in the world by the IRB
. They are the most likely new European nation candidate to promotion to the second tier of the IRB
.
Georgia also has a Georgia A national rugby union team
.
Rugby's popularity in Georgia might be explained by its resemblance to the traditional Georgian game named “Lelo” or “Lelo Burti” (meaning “Field Ball”). This game was played in Georgia from ancient times and is still played on occasions in rural areas. A field ("Lelo") was selected between two river creeks which represented a playing ground. Two teams, usually consisting of the male population of neighboring villages, would face each other. The number of players from each side was not set, but included any able men each village could summon. A large, heavy ball was placed in the middle of the field and the goal of the game was to carry it over the river creek of the opposing side.
The Georgia Rugby Union
was founded in 1964, but until the late 1980s it was part of the Soviet Union's rugby federation. The rugby union connection between France and Georgia started as links were established by the then powerful French Communist Party and many other left-wing organisations. Georgia initially did not have its own team and its best players would play for the USSR team.
In 1988 Georgia produced their first national sevens side. In September 1989, Georgia got together with other FIRA countries to host a tour by Zimbabwe
. Zimbabwe
's first match on the tour was in the wet against Georgia in Kutaisi
, west of Tbilisi, which Georgia won 16–3. The next year Georgia went to Zimbabwe
where they played two tests, losing the first in Bulawayo and winning the second 26–10 in Harare.
. Georgia were limited to the odd game against Ukraine
until they gained membership of the IRB
in 1992.
French coach, Claude Saurel
, first arrived in Georgia in 1997 with a brief to assess the standard of sport; he and his development team have helped boost the profile of the sport to the extent that it is now considered the country's most popular team sport, even ahead of football. Saurel went on to work with the Rugby Sevens
team, until he was appointed as the national coach in the summer of 1999.
Georgia's 1998 loss to Romania saw them play a two legged repechage play-off against Tonga
to qualify for the 1999 World Cup
. On that occasion Georgia lost the first leg 37–6 in Nukualofa
before a 28–27 win in Tbilisi. This was not enough and Georgia failed to qualify.
After France and Italy dropped from the reborn European Nations Cup
, Georgia became a major force in the tournament. In the 2000, Georgia finished second in the competition, finishing behind Romania
. The following year, Georgia improved upon this, winning all five of their matches during the 2000/1 tournament, and thus finishing at the top of the table. They clinched the title by beating Romania away 31–20 on the final day.
Rugby union took off in the country, the travel and opportunities to land lucrative contracts in France
made rugby union a glamorous pursuit in Georgia. Georgia placed second in the 2001-2002 tournament. When Georgia played Russia in the European Nations Cup
65,000 people crammed into the national stadium in Tbilisi
.
Georgian first made an impact at Rugby Sevens
by finishing a respectable 10th in the 2001 edition of the Rugby World Cup Sevens
in Argentina.
, and the loser would be relegated to fight it out for a repechage position. Neither nation had ever been to a World Cup, though Georgia had come close in 1999. 45,000 turned out to the national stadium, with another one and a half million Georgians watching it on national television. Both nations kicked penalty goals in the first half, but Russia moved ahead with a 13–9 lead through a Konstantin Rachkov try, but Georgia were able to score a try of their own just before half time, with Levan Tsabadze putting them in front 14–13 at the break. Georgia held on, winning 17–13, a victory which sparked celebrations throughout the capital.
Three of the 75 French-based Georgian players were denied permission to play in the tournament and were suspended. Another five were sacked and arrived in Australia as free agents. In a warm-up game held in Asti
the Georgians held the Italians to 31–22.
They were grouped into pool C alongside giants - South Africa
and England
. They suffered their heaviest ever defeat when beaten by England 84–6 in their opening game. In their second match, Samoa
comfortably eased to a 9–46 victory. Although they performed well against the Springboks (losing 46–19) they were disappointingly defeated by Uruguay
24–12, in a match that they were expected to win. They lost all four of their matches but had impressed against South Africa
. Despite the sad financial state of their union, qualification has seen the sport's profile rise throughout Georgia.
The Barbarians
beat Georgia 28–19 in Tbilisi on the 4 June 2006 in front of some 10,000 spectators. The Barbarians led 14–7 at half-time and the Lelos pulled back to 14-all early in the second half, but the Barbarians added two more tries before the Lelos got their third just before the end. Paliko Jimsheladze, playing as a fullback, became the first Georgian to win 50 caps. In recognition of this feat he was presented with a commemorative cap by Nodar Qipiani, the first captain of a Georgian national team. After the match the Barbarians presented £10,000 for the development of rugby union in Georgia.
In the 2007 Rugby World Cup
, Georgia performed strongly, holding Argentina 6-3 at half time, and in the next match did even better, losing to Ireland 14-10, which included a disallowed try, three missed drop goals, and spent the last 5 minutes just metres from the Irish line, allowing Ireland to scrape through. Georgia secured its first World Cup win with a convincing 30-0 victory over Namibia. Georgia's final try in the match came in injury time with an interception by Davit Kacharava.
), and augmented its claim to be ranked the seventh best European national rugby union team, when it won, for the second time, the 2007-8 FIRA-AER European Nations Cup
, with nine wins and a single loss, to perennial rival Romania
, over a two-year campaign. Since there is no system of promotion and relegation between the Six Nations Tournament and the ENC, Georgia remains in Division One for the 2008–10 campaign.
preparations with a two-match tour in France, the playing base of most of its World Cup player pool, against sides in the country's second-tier league, Pro D2. They won 28-24 against Stade Aurillac
on 13th August, followed by a 28-15 win over CS Bourgoin-Jallieu
on 19th August.
Georgia were drawn in a very tough Pool B
. The pool included 2007 silver medallists England
, 2007 bronze medalists Argentina
and 2007 quarter finalists Scotland, as well as local rivals Romania
. Despite the close nature of their pool, Georgia were very impressive in all matches, including a tight match against Scotland which was lost 15-6 and a 41-10 loss against England, which featured a man-of-the-match performance by flanker Mamuka Gorgodze
. Georgia went on to record only their second ever Rugby World Cup win against Romania, winning 25-9 with another man-of-the-match performance by Mamuka Gorgodze. Georgia finished their campaign with a strong showing against Argentina, leading 7-5 at half time before conceding 20 unanswered points to lose 25-7. Thus Georgia finished their campaign with 1 win, and 3 losses.
. They won the tournament four times in 2001
, 2007-08
, 2009 and 2011.
- Green background indicates a win. Red background indicates a loss.
Georgia and Russia have played 15 games from which Russia managed to win only once and one match ended in a draw.
.
Head Coach:
Richie Dixon
(Fédérale 1
)
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
in rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
. The team's nickname, The Lelos, comes from lelo burti
Lelo burti
Lelo or lelo burti is a Georgian folk sport, which is a full contact ball game, and very similar to rugby...
, a traditional Georgian sport with strong similarities to rugby. Lelo has been adopted as the Georgian
Georgian language
Georgian is the native language of the Georgians and the official language of Georgia, a country in the Caucasus.Georgian is the primary language of about 4 million people in Georgia itself, and of another 500,000 abroad...
word for "try
Try
A try is the major way of scoring points in rugby league and rugby union football. A try is scored by grounding the ball in the opposition's in-goal area...
" (the highest-valued score in rugby). One standard cheer of Georgian rugby union fans is Lelo, Lelo, Sakartvelo (Try, Try, Georgia).
Georgia is currently considered a second tier rugby union nation. The Lelos participate in the European Nations Cup
European Nations Cup (rugby union)
The European Nations Cup is the European Championship for tier 2 and tier 3 rugby union nations. The Championship is split into 7 divisions with 5 or 6 teams in each. The divisions play on a two-year cycle with the teams playing each other both home and away...
, winning the tournament in 2001, 2007-08
2007-2008 European Nations Cup First Division
The European Nations Cup First Division is the sixth edition of the so called Six Nations B, since its launch in 2000.The ENC is played over two years during which all teams meet each other home and away. The games are usually played in February and March during the Six Nations Championship, and...
and 2008-10
2008-2010 European Nations Cup First Division
The 2008–10 European Nations Cup First Division was the 7th edition of the championship since it was reformed in 2000. The championship not only determined the champions of the ENC but it also acted as an element of European qualification for the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.At present,...
seasons. Famously the Georgians, lacking the resources of the major nations, made scrum
Scrum (rugby union)
In rugby union a scrum is a means of restarting play after a minor infringement. It involves up to eight players from each team, known as the pack or forward pack, binding together in three rows and interlocking with the free opposing teams forwards. At this point the ball is fed into the gap...
machines from old Soviet tractors. The bulk of the national squad are based in France, in both the Top 14 and lower divisions. This is a practice that was popularized by former national team coach, Claude Saurel
Claude Saurel
Claude Saurel is a former French rugby union footballer and current coach. He is the current head coach of the Russia national rugby team....
, a Frenchman, who later coached neighboring rivals Russia.
Rugby union is one of the most popular sports in Georgia. The Georgian national sevens team became the first national side from Georgia to compete in a major tournament, playing in the International Rugby Board (IRB) Sevens World Cup in Argentina. However, the full national team would go onto qualify for the 2003 Rugby World Cup
2003 Rugby World Cup
The 2003 Rugby World Cup was the fifth Rugby World Cup and was won by England. Originally planned to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, all games were shifted to Australia following a contractual dispute over ground signage rights between the New Zealand Rugby Football Union and Rugby World...
- playing against rugby powers such as Ireland
Ireland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
and France
France national rugby union team
The France national rugby union team represents France in rugby union. They compete annually against England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship. They have won the championship outright sixteen times, shared it a further eight times, and have completed nine grand slams...
. In 2006 the Lelos qualified for the 2007 Rugby World Cup
2007 Rugby World Cup
The 2007 Rugby World Cup was the sixth Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. Twenty nations competed for the Webb Ellis Cup in the tournament, which was hosted by France from 7 September to 20 October. France won the hosting rights in 2003,...
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, they beat Namibia
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
by 30-0 for their first ever World Cup win. As of 27 March 2011, Georgia are ranked
IRB World Rankings
The IRB World Rankings is a ranking system for men's national teams in rugby union, managed by the International Rugby Board , the sport's governing body. The teams of the IRB's member nations are ranked based on their game results, with the most successful teams being ranked highest...
14th in the world by the IRB
International Rugby Board
The International Rugby Board is the governing body for the sport of rugby union. It was founded in 1886 as the International Rugby Football Board by the unions of Scotland, Wales and Ireland. England refused to join until 1890. The International Rugby Football Board changed its name to the...
. They are the most likely new European nation candidate to promotion to the second tier of the IRB
International Rugby Board
The International Rugby Board is the governing body for the sport of rugby union. It was founded in 1886 as the International Rugby Football Board by the unions of Scotland, Wales and Ireland. England refused to join until 1890. The International Rugby Football Board changed its name to the...
.
Georgia also has a Georgia A national rugby union team
Georgia A national rugby union team
The Georgia A team are the second national rugby union team behind the Georgian national side. Georgia A matches are usually used as a stepping stone up to Lelos selection. It was formed in 2009 by the Georgian Rugby Union.-Matches:...
.
Soviet era
There were unsuccessful attempts to introduce rugby union into Georgia in 1928 and also in 1940 and in 1948.Rugby's popularity in Georgia might be explained by its resemblance to the traditional Georgian game named “Lelo” or “Lelo Burti” (meaning “Field Ball”). This game was played in Georgia from ancient times and is still played on occasions in rural areas. A field ("Lelo") was selected between two river creeks which represented a playing ground. Two teams, usually consisting of the male population of neighboring villages, would face each other. The number of players from each side was not set, but included any able men each village could summon. A large, heavy ball was placed in the middle of the field and the goal of the game was to carry it over the river creek of the opposing side.
The Georgia Rugby Union
Georgia Rugby Union
The Georgian Rugby Union is the governing body for the sport of rugby union in the nation of Georgia. Founded in 1964, it was part of the Rugby Union of the Soviet Union until 1991, with the Independent Georgian Rugby Union being established on May 27, 1991...
was founded in 1964, but until the late 1980s it was part of the Soviet Union's rugby federation. The rugby union connection between France and Georgia started as links were established by the then powerful French Communist Party and many other left-wing organisations. Georgia initially did not have its own team and its best players would play for the USSR team.
In 1988 Georgia produced their first national sevens side. In September 1989, Georgia got together with other FIRA countries to host a tour by Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
. Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe national rugby union team
The Zimbabwe national rugby union team is the rugby union team representing Zimbabwe. They are considered to be a third tier rugby union nation...
's first match on the tour was in the wet against Georgia in Kutaisi
Kutaisi
Kutaisi is Georgia's second largest city and the capital of the western region of Imereti. It is 221 km to the west of Tbilisi.-Geography:...
, west of Tbilisi, which Georgia won 16–3. The next year Georgia went to Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
where they played two tests, losing the first in Bulawayo and winning the second 26–10 in Harare.
1990s
On April 9, 1991 Georgia declared independence from the Soviet Union. Georgia was now a rugby union nation but getting matches was not easy, the old Soviet team continued under the name Commonwealth of Independent StatesCIS (rugby)
CIS was a rugby union side that played matches during 1991 and 1992. The side consisted of members of the Commonwealth of Independent States. The team played four matches, losing all four fixtures...
. Georgia were limited to the odd game against Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
until they gained membership of the IRB
International Rugby Board
The International Rugby Board is the governing body for the sport of rugby union. It was founded in 1886 as the International Rugby Football Board by the unions of Scotland, Wales and Ireland. England refused to join until 1890. The International Rugby Football Board changed its name to the...
in 1992.
French coach, Claude Saurel
Claude Saurel
Claude Saurel is a former French rugby union footballer and current coach. He is the current head coach of the Russia national rugby team....
, first arrived in Georgia in 1997 with a brief to assess the standard of sport; he and his development team have helped boost the profile of the sport to the extent that it is now considered the country's most popular team sport, even ahead of football. Saurel went on to work with the Rugby Sevens
Rugby sevens
Rugby sevens, also known as seven-a-side or VIIs, is a variant of rugby union in which teams are made up of seven players, instead of the usual 15, with shorter matches. Rugby sevens is administered by the International Rugby Board , the body responsible for rugby union worldwide...
team, until he was appointed as the national coach in the summer of 1999.
Georgia's 1998 loss to Romania saw them play a two legged repechage play-off against Tonga
Tonga national rugby union team
The Tonga national rugby union team is nicknamed Ikale Tahi . Like their Polynesian neighbours, the Tongans start their matches with a war dance – the Kailao . They are members of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance along with Fiji and Samoa...
to qualify for the 1999 World Cup
1999 Rugby World Cup
The 1999 Rugby World Cup was the fourth Rugby World Cup, and the first to be held in rugby union's professional era. The principal host nation was Wales, although the majority of matches were played outside the country, shared between England, France, Scotland and Ireland...
. On that occasion Georgia lost the first leg 37–6 in Nukualofa
Nukuʻalofa
Nukualofa is the capital of the Kingdom of Tonga. It is located on the north coast of the island of Tongatapu, in the southern most island group of Tonga.-Mythological origins:...
before a 28–27 win in Tbilisi. This was not enough and Georgia failed to qualify.
2000s
European Nations Cup (rugby union)
The European Nations Cup is the European Championship for tier 2 and tier 3 rugby union nations. The Championship is split into 7 divisions with 5 or 6 teams in each. The divisions play on a two-year cycle with the teams playing each other both home and away...
, Georgia became a major force in the tournament. In the 2000, Georgia finished second in the competition, finishing behind Romania
Romania national rugby union team
The Romania national rugby union team , nicknamed The Oaks , is the representative side of Romania in rugby union. Long considered one of the stronger European teams outside the Six Nations, they have participated in all six Rugby World Cups, and currently compete in the first division of the...
. The following year, Georgia improved upon this, winning all five of their matches during the 2000/1 tournament, and thus finishing at the top of the table. They clinched the title by beating Romania away 31–20 on the final day.
Rugby union took off in the country, the travel and opportunities to land lucrative contracts in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
made rugby union a glamorous pursuit in Georgia. Georgia placed second in the 2001-2002 tournament. When Georgia played Russia in the European Nations Cup
European Nations Cup (rugby union)
The European Nations Cup is the European Championship for tier 2 and tier 3 rugby union nations. The Championship is split into 7 divisions with 5 or 6 teams in each. The divisions play on a two-year cycle with the teams playing each other both home and away...
65,000 people crammed into the national stadium in Tbilisi
Tbilisi
Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
.
Georgian first made an impact at Rugby Sevens
Rugby sevens
Rugby sevens, also known as seven-a-side or VIIs, is a variant of rugby union in which teams are made up of seven players, instead of the usual 15, with shorter matches. Rugby sevens is administered by the International Rugby Board , the body responsible for rugby union worldwide...
by finishing a respectable 10th in the 2001 edition of the Rugby World Cup Sevens
Rugby World Cup Sevens
The Rugby World Cup Sevens is the premier international Rugby sevens competition. The event is organised by the sport's governing body, the International Rugby Board , and is contested by the men's national sevens teams every four years. The inaugural tournament was held in 1993 in Scotland, the...
in Argentina.
World Cup years
The two nations would contest another match at the same venue in October 2002, in what was at the time one of the most important clashes ever between the two national sides. The victorious nation would head to the 2003 Rugby World Cup2003 Rugby World Cup
The 2003 Rugby World Cup was the fifth Rugby World Cup and was won by England. Originally planned to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, all games were shifted to Australia following a contractual dispute over ground signage rights between the New Zealand Rugby Football Union and Rugby World...
, and the loser would be relegated to fight it out for a repechage position. Neither nation had ever been to a World Cup, though Georgia had come close in 1999. 45,000 turned out to the national stadium, with another one and a half million Georgians watching it on national television. Both nations kicked penalty goals in the first half, but Russia moved ahead with a 13–9 lead through a Konstantin Rachkov try, but Georgia were able to score a try of their own just before half time, with Levan Tsabadze putting them in front 14–13 at the break. Georgia held on, winning 17–13, a victory which sparked celebrations throughout the capital.
Asti
Asti is a city and comune of about 75,000 inhabitants located in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy, about 55 kilometres east of Turin in the plain of the Tanaro River...
the Georgians held the Italians to 31–22.
They were grouped into pool C alongside giants - South Africa
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
and England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
. They suffered their heaviest ever defeat when beaten by England 84–6 in their opening game. In their second match, Samoa
Samoa national rugby union team
The Manu Samoa is the men's representative side of the Samoa Rugby Union in both the 15's and the 7's for international competitions. The Samoa Rugby Union is owned by the affiliated rugby unions of Samoa. In Samoa, Manu Samoa is in honour of a famous Samoan warrior. From 1924 to 1997 Samoa was...
comfortably eased to a 9–46 victory. Although they performed well against the Springboks (losing 46–19) they were disappointingly defeated by Uruguay
Uruguay national rugby union team
The Uruguay national rugby union team is the representative side of Uruguay, governed by the Unión de Rugby del Uruguay. They have been playing international rugby since 1948. Their jersey is blue and black and they are known as Los Teros. They qualified twice for the Rugby World Cup, in 1999 and...
24–12, in a match that they were expected to win. They lost all four of their matches but had impressed against South Africa
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
. Despite the sad financial state of their union, qualification has seen the sport's profile rise throughout Georgia.
The Barbarians
Barbarian F.C.
The Barbarian Football Club, usually referred to as the Barbarians and nicknamed the "Baa-Baas", is an invitational rugby union team based in Britain...
beat Georgia 28–19 in Tbilisi on the 4 June 2006 in front of some 10,000 spectators. The Barbarians led 14–7 at half-time and the Lelos pulled back to 14-all early in the second half, but the Barbarians added two more tries before the Lelos got their third just before the end. Paliko Jimsheladze, playing as a fullback, became the first Georgian to win 50 caps. In recognition of this feat he was presented with a commemorative cap by Nodar Qipiani, the first captain of a Georgian national team. After the match the Barbarians presented £10,000 for the development of rugby union in Georgia.
In the 2007 Rugby World Cup
2007 Rugby World Cup
The 2007 Rugby World Cup was the sixth Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. Twenty nations competed for the Webb Ellis Cup in the tournament, which was hosted by France from 7 September to 20 October. France won the hosting rights in 2003,...
, Georgia performed strongly, holding Argentina 6-3 at half time, and in the next match did even better, losing to Ireland 14-10, which included a disallowed try, three missed drop goals, and spent the last 5 minutes just metres from the Irish line, allowing Ireland to scrape through. Georgia secured its first World Cup win with a convincing 30-0 victory over Namibia. Georgia's final try in the match came in injury time with an interception by Davit Kacharava.
Aftermath of the World Cup
In 2008, Georgia cemented its place at the top of the European hierarchy (beneath the Six NationsSix Nations Championship
The Six Nations Championship is an annual international rugby union competition involving six European sides: England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales....
), and augmented its claim to be ranked the seventh best European national rugby union team, when it won, for the second time, the 2007-8 FIRA-AER European Nations Cup
European Nations Cup (rugby union)
The European Nations Cup is the European Championship for tier 2 and tier 3 rugby union nations. The Championship is split into 7 divisions with 5 or 6 teams in each. The divisions play on a two-year cycle with the teams playing each other both home and away...
, with nine wins and a single loss, to perennial rival Romania
Romania national rugby union team
The Romania national rugby union team , nicknamed The Oaks , is the representative side of Romania in rugby union. Long considered one of the stronger European teams outside the Six Nations, they have participated in all six Rugby World Cups, and currently compete in the first division of the...
, over a two-year campaign. Since there is no system of promotion and relegation between the Six Nations Tournament and the ENC, Georgia remains in Division One for the 2008–10 campaign.
2011 World Cup
Georgia began their 2011 Rugby World Cup2011 Rugby World Cup
The 2011 Rugby World Cup was the seventh Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. The International Rugby Board selected New Zealand as the host country in preference to Japan and South Africa at a meeting in Dublin on 17 November 2005...
preparations with a two-match tour in France, the playing base of most of its World Cup player pool, against sides in the country's second-tier league, Pro D2. They won 28-24 against Stade Aurillac
Stade Aurillacois Cantal Auvergne
Stade Aurillacois Cantal Auvergne is a French rugby union club, which play in Rugby Pro D2, the second division of French rugby. The club currently play at the Stade Jean Alric, which has a capacity of around 10,000. The club was founded in 1904...
on 13th August, followed by a 28-15 win over CS Bourgoin-Jallieu
CS Bourgoin-Jallieu
CS Bourgoin-Jallieu is a French rugby union club currently competing in the second level of the French league system in the Pro D2. The club have been runners-up in the French championship and the Challenge Yves du Manoir competitions, and have won the Challenge Cup.Founded in 1906 as "Club...
on 19th August.
Georgia were drawn in a very tough Pool B
2011 Rugby World Cup Pool B
Pool B of the 2011 Rugby World Cup began on 10 September 2011 and was completed on 2 October. The pool was composed of the 2007 runners-up England, as well as the third-placed team from 2007, Argentina, and Georgia, Romania and Scotland....
. The pool included 2007 silver medallists England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
, 2007 bronze medalists Argentina
Argentina national rugby union team
The Argentina national rugby team, nicknamed Los Pumas, represents Argentina in international rugby union matches. The team, which plays in sky blue and white jerseys, is organised by the Argentine Rugby Union .Argentina played its first international rugby match in 1910 against a touring British...
and 2007 quarter finalists Scotland, as well as local rivals Romania
Romania national rugby union team
The Romania national rugby union team , nicknamed The Oaks , is the representative side of Romania in rugby union. Long considered one of the stronger European teams outside the Six Nations, they have participated in all six Rugby World Cups, and currently compete in the first division of the...
. Despite the close nature of their pool, Georgia were very impressive in all matches, including a tight match against Scotland which was lost 15-6 and a 41-10 loss against England, which featured a man-of-the-match performance by flanker Mamuka Gorgodze
Mamuka Gorgodze
Mamuka Gorgodze is a Georgian rugby union footballer, currently playing in the top French professional rugby competition, the Top 14, for the Montpellier Hérault club. He joined Montpellier in 2005. His usual position is lock or number eight.Gorgodze is also an international player for the...
. Georgia went on to record only their second ever Rugby World Cup win against Romania, winning 25-9 with another man-of-the-match performance by Mamuka Gorgodze. Georgia finished their campaign with a strong showing against Argentina, leading 7-5 at half time before conceding 20 unanswered points to lose 25-7. Thus Georgia finished their campaign with 1 win, and 3 losses.
European Nations Cup
Georgia compete annually in the European Nations CupEuropean Nations Cup (rugby union)
The European Nations Cup is the European Championship for tier 2 and tier 3 rugby union nations. The Championship is split into 7 divisions with 5 or 6 teams in each. The divisions play on a two-year cycle with the teams playing each other both home and away...
. They won the tournament four times in 2001
2001 European Nations Cup First Division
The 2001 European Nations Cup was the second annual competition for tier 2 & 3 European Rugby Union nations. The competition was originally planned to continue on an annual basis like the Six Nations but at the end of the season it was decided to change to a two year cycle allowing home & away...
, 2007-08
2007-2008 European Nations Cup First Division
The European Nations Cup First Division is the sixth edition of the so called Six Nations B, since its launch in 2000.The ENC is played over two years during which all teams meet each other home and away. The games are usually played in February and March during the Six Nations Championship, and...
, 2009 and 2011.
| Year(s) | GP | W | D | L | +/- | Pts | Pos |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 European Nations Cup First Division 2000 The 2000 European Nations Cup was the newly formed European Championship for second tier nations. The main reformation of the competition was down to the induction of professionalism & Italy being granted a place in the Six Nations.... |
4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 125-95 | 8 | 2nd |
| 2001 2001 European Nations Cup First Division The 2001 European Nations Cup was the second annual competition for tier 2 & 3 European Rugby Union nations. The competition was originally planned to continue on an annual basis like the Six Nations but at the end of the season it was decided to change to a two year cycle allowing home & away... |
5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 167-68 | 15 | 1st |
| 2001-02 2001-2002 European Nations Cup First Division The 2001/2002 European Nations Cup was the 3rd Edition of the newly reformed European Championship. It was the first championship to be decided over two years.Since the format had changed at the end of 2001, Georgia where allowed to keep their 2001 title... |
10 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 351-152 | 27 | 2nd |
| 2003-04 2003-2004 European Nations Cup First Division The 2003/2004 European Nations Cup was the fourth edition of the newly reformed European Championship for tier 2 & 3 Rugby Union Nations. This was the second two year cycled championship, the first to be planned from the start.... |
10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 193-148 | 21 | 3rd |
| 2006-08 2006-2008 European Nations Cup First Division The European Nations Cup First Division is the sixth edition of the so called Six Nations B, since its launch in 2000.The ENC is played over two years during which all teams meet each other home and away. The games are usually played in February and March during the Six Nations Championship, and... |
10 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 292-114 | 28 | 1st |
| 2008-10 2008-2010 European Nations Cup First Division The 2008–10 European Nations Cup First Division was the 7th edition of the championship since it was reformed in 2000. The championship not only determined the champions of the ENC but it also acted as an element of European qualification for the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.At present,... |
10 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 326-132 | 27 | 1st |
| 2010-12 2010-2012 European Nations Cup First Division The 2010–2012 European Nations Cup First Division is the premier rugby union competition below the Six Nations Championship in Europe.The divisions play on a two-year cycle with the teams playing each other both home and away. From 2009 onward, the title is assigned according to an one-year ranking... |
5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 168-35 | 22 | 1st |
World Cup
| Year(s) | Result |
|---|---|
| 1987 1987 Rugby World Cup The 1987 Rugby World Cup was the first Rugby World Cup. New Zealand and Australia agreed to co-host the first ever tournament with New Zealand hosting seventeen pool stage matches, two quarter-finals and the final with Australia being the junior partner hosting seven pool matches, two... |
No qualifying tournament held. |
| 1991 1991 Rugby World Cup The 1991 Rugby World Cup was the second edition of the Rugby World Cup, and was jointly hosted by England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and France; at that time, the five European countries that participated in the Five Nations Championship making it the first Rugby World Cup to be staged in the... to 1999 1999 Rugby World Cup The 1999 Rugby World Cup was the fourth Rugby World Cup, and the first to be held in rugby union's professional era. The principal host nation was Wales, although the majority of matches were played outside the country, shared between England, France, Scotland and Ireland... |
Did not qualify. |
| 2003 2003 Rugby World Cup The 2003 Rugby World Cup was the fifth Rugby World Cup and was won by England. Originally planned to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, all games were shifted to Australia following a contractual dispute over ground signage rights between the New Zealand Rugby Football Union and Rugby World... |
Qualified. Pool stages. |
| 2007 2007 Rugby World Cup The 2007 Rugby World Cup was the sixth Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. Twenty nations competed for the Webb Ellis Cup in the tournament, which was hosted by France from 7 September to 20 October. France won the hosting rights in 2003,... |
Qualified. Pool stages. One Win. |
| 2011 2011 Rugby World Cup The 2011 Rugby World Cup was the seventh Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. The International Rugby Board selected New Zealand as the host country in preference to Japan and South Africa at a meeting in Dublin on 17 November 2005... |
Qualified. Pool stages. One Win. |
Honours
- European Nations CupEuropean Nations Cup (rugby union)The European Nations Cup is the European Championship for tier 2 and tier 3 rugby union nations. The Championship is split into 7 divisions with 5 or 6 teams in each. The divisions play on a two-year cycle with the teams playing each other both home and away...
: 4
-
- 20012001 European Nations Cup First DivisionThe 2001 European Nations Cup was the second annual competition for tier 2 & 3 European Rugby Union nations. The competition was originally planned to continue on an annual basis like the Six Nations but at the end of the season it was decided to change to a two year cycle allowing home & away...
, 2006-082006-2008 European Nations Cup First DivisionThe European Nations Cup First Division is the sixth edition of the so called Six Nations B, since its launch in 2000.The ENC is played over two years during which all teams meet each other home and away. The games are usually played in February and March during the Six Nations Championship, and...
, 2008-102008-2010 European Nations Cup First DivisionThe 2008–10 European Nations Cup First Division was the 7th edition of the championship since it was reformed in 2000. The championship not only determined the champions of the ENC but it also acted as an element of European qualification for the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.At present,...
, 2010-122010-2012 European Nations Cup First DivisionThe 2010–2012 European Nations Cup First Division is the premier rugby union competition below the Six Nations Championship in Europe.The divisions play on a two-year cycle with the teams playing each other both home and away. From 2009 onward, the title is assigned according to an one-year ranking...
- Antim CupAntim CupThe Antim Cup is contested between the rugby union teams of Romania and Georgia . It is named after the Romanian Orthodox Metropolitan Anthim the Iberian, who came from Georgia....
: 5
- Antim Cup
- 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011
- European Nations CupEuropean Nations Cup (rugby union)The European Nations Cup is the European Championship for tier 2 and tier 3 rugby union nations. The Championship is split into 7 divisions with 5 or 6 teams in each. The divisions play on a two-year cycle with the teams playing each other both home and away...
Grand Slam: 2
- European Nations Cup
- 20012001 European Nations Cup First DivisionThe 2001 European Nations Cup was the second annual competition for tier 2 & 3 European Rugby Union nations. The competition was originally planned to continue on an annual basis like the Six Nations but at the end of the season it was decided to change to a two year cycle allowing home & away...
, 2010-122010-2012 European Nations Cup First DivisionThe 2010–2012 European Nations Cup First Division is the premier rugby union competition below the Six Nations Championship in Europe.The divisions play on a two-year cycle with the teams playing each other both home and away. From 2009 onward, the title is assigned according to an one-year ranking...
- 2001
Recent results
| Date | Tournament | Location | Venue | Home Team | Score | Away Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
European Nations Cup (rugby union) The European Nations Cup is the European Championship for tier 2 and tier 3 rugby union nations. The Championship is split into 7 divisions with 5 or 6 teams in each. The divisions play on a two-year cycle with the teams playing each other both home and away... |
Sochi Sochi is a city in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, situated just north of Russia's border with the de facto independent republic of Abkhazia, on the Black Sea coast. Greater Sochi sprawls for along the shores of the Black Sea near the Caucasus Mountains... , Russia Russia Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects... |
 Georgia (country) Georgia |
||||
European Nations Cup (rugby union) The European Nations Cup is the European Championship for tier 2 and tier 3 rugby union nations. The Championship is split into 7 divisions with 5 or 6 teams in each. The divisions play on a two-year cycle with the teams playing each other both home and away... |
Tbilisi Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936... , Georgia Georgia (country) Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of... |
Mikheil Meskhi Stadium The Mikheil Meskhi Stadium, also known as the Lokomotivi Stadium, is a multi-purpose stadium in Tbilisi, Georgia named after the famous Georgian international footballer. It is used mostly for football matches, and occasionally for rugby union matches. The stadium was renovated in 2001 and has a... |
 Romania Romania |
|||
European Nations Cup (rugby union) The European Nations Cup is the European Championship for tier 2 and tier 3 rugby union nations. The Championship is split into 7 divisions with 5 or 6 teams in each. The divisions play on a two-year cycle with the teams playing each other both home and away... |
Portugal Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the... |
Estádio Universitário de Lisboa Estádio Universitário de Lisboa is a multi-use stadium in Lisbon, Portugal. It is used as the home stadium of Portugal national rugby union team matches. The capacity of the stadium is 8,000 spectators. It also hosted the 1994 World Junior Championships in Athletics.... |
Georgia (country) Georgia |
|||
European Nations Cup (rugby union) The European Nations Cup is the European Championship for tier 2 and tier 3 rugby union nations. The Championship is split into 7 divisions with 5 or 6 teams in each. The divisions play on a two-year cycle with the teams playing each other both home and away... |
Tbilisi Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936... , Georgia Georgia (country) Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of... |
Mikheil Meskhi Stadium The Mikheil Meskhi Stadium, also known as the Lokomotivi Stadium, is a multi-purpose stadium in Tbilisi, Georgia named after the famous Georgian international footballer. It is used mostly for football matches, and occasionally for rugby union matches. The stadium was renovated in 2001 and has a... |
 Spain Spain |
|||
European Nations Cup (rugby union) The European Nations Cup is the European Championship for tier 2 and tier 3 rugby union nations. The Championship is split into 7 divisions with 5 or 6 teams in each. The divisions play on a two-year cycle with the teams playing each other both home and away... |
Tbilisi Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936... , Georgia Georgia (country) Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of... |
Mikheil Meskhi Stadium The Mikheil Meskhi Stadium, also known as the Lokomotivi Stadium, is a multi-purpose stadium in Tbilisi, Georgia named after the famous Georgian international footballer. It is used mostly for football matches, and occasionally for rugby union matches. The stadium was renovated in 2001 and has a... |
Georgia (country) Georgia |
 Ukraine Ukraine |
||
Test match (rugby union) Test match in rugby union is a match recognised as being a full international match by at least one of the participating teams' governing bodies. It is an unofficial but widely used term in the sport.... |
Tbilisi Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936... , Georgia Georgia (country) Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of... |
Boris Paichadze Stadium The Boris Paichadze National Stadium , also known as the Dinamo Stadium, is a football stadium in Tbilisi, Georgia. It is the home stadium of FC Dinamo Tbilisi. The stadium was built in 1976 by Georgian architect Gia Kurdiani. Before then Dinamo's stadium was a smaller ground with a maximum... |
Georgia (country) Georgia |
 United States USA |
||
Test match (rugby union) Test match in rugby union is a match recognised as being a full international match by at least one of the participating teams' governing bodies. It is an unofficial but widely used term in the sport.... |
Tbilisi Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936... , Georgia Georgia (country) Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of... |
Boris Paichadze Stadium The Boris Paichadze National Stadium , also known as the Dinamo Stadium, is a football stadium in Tbilisi, Georgia. It is the home stadium of FC Dinamo Tbilisi. The stadium was built in 1976 by Georgian architect Gia Kurdiani. Before then Dinamo's stadium was a smaller ground with a maximum... |
Georgia (country) Georgia |
|||
European Nations Cup (rugby union) The European Nations Cup is the European Championship for tier 2 and tier 3 rugby union nations. The Championship is split into 7 divisions with 5 or 6 teams in each. The divisions play on a two-year cycle with the teams playing each other both home and away... |
Trabzon Trabzon is a city on the Black Sea coast of north-eastern Turkey and the capital of Trabzon Province. Trabzon, located on the historical Silk Road, became a melting pot of religions, languages and culture for centuries and a trade gateway to Iran in the southeast and the Caucasus to the northeast... , Turkey Turkey Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe... |
Georgia (country) Georgia |
- Green background indicates a win. Red background indicates a loss.
Results to Russia
Georgian national rugby team has an outstanding series of results to the Russian Rugby team.Georgia and Russia have played 15 games from which Russia managed to win only once and one match ended in a draw.
| Date | Tournament | Location | Home Team | Score | Away Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
European Nations Cup (rugby union) The European Nations Cup is the European Championship for tier 2 and tier 3 rugby union nations. The Championship is split into 7 divisions with 5 or 6 teams in each. The divisions play on a two-year cycle with the teams playing each other both home and away... |
Sochi Sochi is a city in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, situated just north of Russia's border with the de facto independent republic of Abkhazia, on the Black Sea coast. Greater Sochi sprawls for along the shores of the Black Sea near the Caucasus Mountains... , Russia Russia Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects... |
Georgia (country) Georgia |
|||
European Nations Cup (rugby union) The European Nations Cup is the European Championship for tier 2 and tier 3 rugby union nations. The Championship is split into 7 divisions with 5 or 6 teams in each. The divisions play on a two-year cycle with the teams playing each other both home and away... |
Trabzon Trabzon is a city on the Black Sea coast of north-eastern Turkey and the capital of Trabzon Province. Trabzon, located on the historical Silk Road, became a melting pot of religions, languages and culture for centuries and a trade gateway to Iran in the southeast and the Caucasus to the northeast... , Turkey Turkey Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe... |
Georgia (country) Georgia |
|||
European Nations Cup (rugby union) The European Nations Cup is the European Championship for tier 2 and tier 3 rugby union nations. The Championship is split into 7 divisions with 5 or 6 teams in each. The divisions play on a two-year cycle with the teams playing each other both home and away... |
Mariupol Mariupol , formerly known as Zhdanov , is a port city in southeastern Ukraine. It is located on the coast of the Azov Sea, at the mouth of the Kalmius River. Mariupol is the largest city in Priazovye - a geographical region around Azov Sea, divided by Russia and Ukraine - and is also a popular sea... , Ukraine Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia... |
Georgia (country) Georgia |
|||
European Nations Cup (rugby union) The European Nations Cup is the European Championship for tier 2 and tier 3 rugby union nations. The Championship is split into 7 divisions with 5 or 6 teams in each. The divisions play on a two-year cycle with the teams playing each other both home and away... |
Krasnoyarsk Krasnoyarsk is a city and the administrative center of Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia, located on the Yenisei River. It is the third largest city in Siberia, with the population of 973,891. Krasnoyarsk is an important junction of the Trans-Siberian Railway and one of Russia's largest producers of... , Russia Russia Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects... |
||||
European Nations Cup (rugby union) The European Nations Cup is the European Championship for tier 2 and tier 3 rugby union nations. The Championship is split into 7 divisions with 5 or 6 teams in each. The divisions play on a two-year cycle with the teams playing each other both home and away... |
Tbilisi Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936... , Georgia Georgia (country) Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of... |
 Russia Russia |
|||
European Nations Cup (rugby union) The European Nations Cup is the European Championship for tier 2 and tier 3 rugby union nations. The Championship is split into 7 divisions with 5 or 6 teams in each. The divisions play on a two-year cycle with the teams playing each other both home and away... |
Tbilisi Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936... , Georgia Georgia (country) Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of... |
Russia Russia |
|||
European Nations Cup (rugby union) The European Nations Cup is the European Championship for tier 2 and tier 3 rugby union nations. The Championship is split into 7 divisions with 5 or 6 teams in each. The divisions play on a two-year cycle with the teams playing each other both home and away... |
Krasnodar Krasnodar is a city in Southern Russia, located on the Kuban River about northeast of the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk. It is the administrative center of Krasnodar Krai . Population: -Name:... , Russia Russia Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects... |
Russia Russia |
|||
European Nations Cup (rugby union) The European Nations Cup is the European Championship for tier 2 and tier 3 rugby union nations. The Championship is split into 7 divisions with 5 or 6 teams in each. The divisions play on a two-year cycle with the teams playing each other both home and away... |
Tbilisi Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936... , Georgia Georgia (country) Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of... |
||||
European Nations Cup (rugby union) The European Nations Cup is the European Championship for tier 2 and tier 3 rugby union nations. The Championship is split into 7 divisions with 5 or 6 teams in each. The divisions play on a two-year cycle with the teams playing each other both home and away... |
Krasnodar Krasnodar is a city in Southern Russia, located on the Kuban River about northeast of the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk. It is the administrative center of Krasnodar Krai . Population: -Name:... , Russia Russia Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects... |
Russia Russia |
|||
European Nations Cup (rugby union) The European Nations Cup is the European Championship for tier 2 and tier 3 rugby union nations. The Championship is split into 7 divisions with 5 or 6 teams in each. The divisions play on a two-year cycle with the teams playing each other both home and away... |
Tbilisi Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936... , Georgia Georgia (country) Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of... |
Russia Russia |
|||
European Nations Cup (rugby union) The European Nations Cup is the European Championship for tier 2 and tier 3 rugby union nations. The Championship is split into 7 divisions with 5 or 6 teams in each. The divisions play on a two-year cycle with the teams playing each other both home and away... |
Krasnodar Krasnodar is a city in Southern Russia, located on the Kuban River about northeast of the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk. It is the administrative center of Krasnodar Krai . Population: -Name:... , Russia Russia Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects... |
Russia Russia |
|||
Krasnodar Krasnodar is a city in Southern Russia, located on the Kuban River about northeast of the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk. It is the administrative center of Krasnodar Krai . Population: -Name:... , Russia Russia Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects... |
Russia Russia |
||||
Tbilisi Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936... , Georgia Georgia (country) Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of... |
|||||
Exhibition game An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition... |
Tbilisi Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936... , Georgia Georgia (country) Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of... |
||||
Exhibition game An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition... |
Gdansk Gdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the... , Poland Poland Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north... |
Russia Russia |
Overall record
Their Test match record against all nations, updated to 28 November 2010, is as follows:| Nation | Games | Won | Lost | Drawn | Percentage of wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0% | |
| 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100% | |
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 % | |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% | |
| 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50% | |
| 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50% | |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% | |
| 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 100% | |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% | |
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0% | |
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0% | |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% | |
| 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 100% | |
| 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0% | |
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0% | |
| 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0% | |
| 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 50% | |
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0% | |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% | |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 50% | |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% | |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% | |
| 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 75% | |
| 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 75% | |
| 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0% | |
| 15 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 66.6% | |
| 14 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 46.6% | |
| 15 | 13 | 1 | 1 | 90% | |
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0% | |
| 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50% | |
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0% | |
| 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 100% | |
| 11 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 77.2% | |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% | |
| 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50% | |
| 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 100% | |
| 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50% | |
| 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 33.3% | |
| 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 66.6% | |
| Total | 134 | 82 | 47 | 5 | 62.1% |
Current squad
30-man Georgia squad for the 2011 Rugby World Cup2011 Rugby World Cup
The 2011 Rugby World Cup was the seventh Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. The International Rugby Board selected New Zealand as the host country in preference to Japan and South Africa at a meeting in Dublin on 17 November 2005...
.
Head Coach:
Richie Dixon(Fédérale 1
Fédérale 1
Le championnat de France de première division fédérale, a.k.a. Fédérale 1, is a French rugby union club competition, the highest level of amateur rugby. The competition has been organised by the Fédération Française de Rugby since 2000, when it replaced the B2 Group...
)
Notable players
- Vasil Katsadze
- Ilia ZedguinidzeIlia ZedguinidzeIlia Zedginidze is a former Georgian rugby union player. He plays as a Number 8 and is a lineout specialist. A member of their inaugural World Cup side in 2003, he captained Georgia in the 2007 tournament, but was forced out of the squad because of an injury...
- Tedo Zibzibadze
- Malkhaz UrjukashviliMalkhaz UrjukashviliMalkhaz Urjukashvili is a Georgian rugby union player. He plays as a wing.He moved to France, where he has been playing in Stade Toulousain, RC Nîmes, US Tours, in 2003, RC Cannes-Mandelieu, from 2003/04 to 2006/07, in the Fédérale 2, Stade Aurillacois Cantal Auvergne, from 2007/08 to 2008/09, in...
- Vano Nadiradze
- Levan Tsabadze
- Mamuka GorgodzeMamuka GorgodzeMamuka Gorgodze is a Georgian rugby union footballer, currently playing in the top French professional rugby competition, the Top 14, for the Montpellier Hérault club. He joined Montpellier in 2005. His usual position is lock or number eight.Gorgodze is also an international player for the...
See also
- Antim CupAntim CupThe Antim Cup is contested between the rugby union teams of Romania and Georgia . It is named after the Romanian Orthodox Metropolitan Anthim the Iberian, who came from Georgia....
- Georgia at the Rugby World CupGeorgia at the Rugby World CupGeorgia has competed in two Rugby World Cup tournaments. Their first appearance was in 2003 when they were placed in Pool C with eventual winners England, South Africa, Uruguay and Samoa...
- European Nations CupEuropean Nations Cup (rugby union)The European Nations Cup is the European Championship for tier 2 and tier 3 rugby union nations. The Championship is split into 7 divisions with 5 or 6 teams in each. The divisions play on a two-year cycle with the teams playing each other both home and away...
- Rugby union in GeorgiaRugby union in GeorgiaRugby union is a popular team sport played in Georgia. Rugby union is considered the most popular sport in Georgia, after football.- Governing body :The governing body for rugby union in Georgia is the Georgia Rugby Union...
- USSR national rugby union team