Georgian Rugby Union summarized 2013 annual results, which was undoubtedly successful, awarded the outstanding athletes, teams and also unveiled future plans.
At the end of the year GRU invited society of rugby at the ceremony which hosted didube exhibition and GRU president Giorgi Nizharadze introduced the audience the results of the last year. One day before this ceremony Ministry of Georgian Sport named him as the best Manager.
Giorgi Nizharadze: “On this event I would like to draw attention only to featured moments of 2013. In this regard, first of all we should notice victory at “Nations Cup”. Now we have one step left to go through the World Cup. For this we have to win all five games and together with New Zealand we will have winners of qualifying stage of Argentina, Tonga and Africa in the group.
The largest gain of this year was getting funding from the government. We convinced government that the sport is not stepchild and for such successes and ambitious plans, it is necessary to fund the club. The budget which the clubs had earlier it was difficult to maintain this level, and now, we are the only union, which funds not only Super League teams, but also First League and I want to thank all those people who supported us.
We have received great appreciation from the International Rugby Board, which agreed to establish Tbilisi tournament. We are not a country of Pacific Ocean and we cannot take part at Pacific Ocean Cup, besides it, IRB sponsors tournaments of Tbilisi and Bucharest.
We hold an important test-matches this year and I would like to remind fans that after independence of Georgia we played against such level teams as are Luxemburg and Switzerland. Then we got used to play against Romania and we have just equalized balance with them. Now we are moving to a different level and we must get used to such teams as are Samoa, Argentina, Fiji, Japan, Canada and USA teams step by step. I want to thank all those people who kept Georgian rugby and now we have to continue it even more successfully.
Georgian U-19 team gained a great success, which easily won the European Championship. Georgian Championship is held in a very interesting way and seven clubs have a chance for fighting for the prize-place.
2014 would be more difficult for us. We have to win 5 matches of “Nations Cup”. We have three meeting in Tbilisi and it is already known that against Belgium we are playing at “Avchala”, against Russia at “Dinamo Arena” and against Romania at “Mikheil Meskhi”. Herewith we have away matches against Spain and Portugal.
From the next year, we will not have Georgian “A” team, because actually the second team meeting has never been reached. Now this team will be called “Future Georgia”, where only perspective players will play including 25 years and its goal will be to train the players for national team. Tbilisi International tournament will start from June 14, where Spanish and Portuguese teams will play along with Italian and Argentine “A” teams.
Test-matches will be held traditionally in November. Two matches will be held in Tbilisi and one most likely in Ireland.
After this official awards ceremony has begun. “Lanchkhuti” became the champion of women’s rugby 7 of 2013, “Aia” Kutaisi won men’s rugby 7, it also won the bronze of Georgian Championship 2012/2013. Silver medalist became “Armia” Tbilisi and the champion became “Lelo”.
Irakli Kiasashvili became the best top scorer from “Lelo” and received “Golden Lion” from “Zarapkhana”. Levan Maisashvili was named as the best coach and got the prize from the Development Company “Tride”. The best try scorer became Beka Kurashvili (Kutaisi, “Aia”) and the best referee became Nika Amashukeli. Also was named traditional, symbolic team of national Championship:
15. Beka Tsiklauri, 14. Aleksandre Tuchashvili, 13. Irakli Chkhikvadze, 12. Tornike Tsertsvadze, 11. Giorgi Skinini, 10. Lasha Khmaladze, 9. Giorgi Begadze; 1. Bachana Gogishvili, 2. Revaz Nelkania, 3. Nika Pataraia, 4. Mikheil Archuashvili, 5. Sandro Koiava, 6. Giorgi Tkhilaishvili, 7. Givi Berishvili, 8. Giorgi Chkoidze.
As the best rugby player of Georgian Championship was named fly-half of Georgian national team Lasha Khmaladze and “Art Time” presented him “Tissot” sports watch.
And finally, third liner of Georgian national team and French “Montpellier” Mamuka Gorgodze was named as the best rugby player of Georgia for the 4th time. Because he could not come, Oil Company “Tesis Petroleum Limited” gave “Wishing Tree” on which rugby balls are hanged to his wife Tsitsi Bokhua and junior son Nikoloz.
“World Sport” contacted Mamuka Gorgodze in “Montpellier”: “To become the best player of Georgia among such rugby players is a great success and excuse. I want to thank all those people who named me as the best and I will try to justify their hopes in future, of course together with my teammates from “Lelo”.
Zura Ksovreli
