After a 3-week break, playoff will be held at the 22nd Georgian Rugby Championship. One from 4 teams will guarantee the final today and one team will lose a chance to win "Willow Cup".
According to the regulations of Georgian National Rugby Championship, 8 best teams of Supreme League is competing in the regular championship with two circles. First 4 teams continue fighting for the championship in Australian playoff. At the first stage, first-placed team of the regular championship holds one match against second-placed and the winner wins a right to play in the final. Loser will play in so-called mini final and will continue fighting for the final. Winner between third-placed and fourth-placed teams will play in the mini final and loser will take the fourth place.
This year, 3 Tbilisi teams and one Kutaisi team are in top 4. Current champion "Lelo" took the first place, "Lokomotive" took the second place and "Wissol-Kochebi" - the third place. "Aia" went through the playoff with the fourth place. Each team will hold one match against each other. These teams held tense matches at regular championship. So, spectators will watch interesting matches this time too. Loser between first-placed and second-placed teams will still have a chance to become a champion but this match will be tense too. The reason is simple, winner will rest and will wait for its opponent.
"Mikheil Meskhi" stadium will host matches of playoff. The first match will be held between third-fourth placed teams. "Wissol-Kochebi" was one point ahead of "Aia" and took the third place. But "Aia" beat its opponent in both matches at regular championship. These teams held the first match of the championship and "Aia" won over "Wissol-Kochebi" 22:15 at "Mikheil Meskhi" stadium. "Wissol-Kochebi" had advantage in this match but the team could not use it. The second match was held in Varketili district. Because of bad behavior of "Aia" fans, the team had to hold a match 100 km away from Kutaisi. "Aia" won this match. The team scored 2 tries and was scored only 1 try. The match finished 18:10.
If "Aia" had not lost against "Lokomotive", the team would have taken the first place at regular championship. It is an advantage to take the first and the third places at Australian playoff. If "Aia" had won over "Wissol-Kochebi" at regular championship, now the team would have had a right to host matches. These teams played against each other in the final of Georgian Sevens Championship. "Wissol-Kochebi" won 22:7.
In the second match of Australian playoff, current champion "Lelo" will play against "Lokomotive". These teams had the same points but "Lelo" played better in their matches. First round match was held without a try. "Lokomotive" scored one penalty but was scored 3 penalties and lost 3:9. It is worth mentioning, that one player of "Lokomotive" and two players of "Lelo" were sin-binned. The second match turned out more interesting. "Lelo" scored 3 tries, was scored 2 tries and won 26:17. These teams held another match against each other in 2010 - final of Georgian Cup. "Lokomotive" won the first half 17:9 but "Lelo" played better in the second half and won 23:17. After the final of Georgian Championship 2008 ("Lokomotive" won that match and became a champion), matches of regular championship and playoffs, "Lelo" beat "Lokomotive" in 8 matches and will try to continue this tradition.
Another playoff match will start at 16:00, at "Wissol" stadium on November 4. Second-placed "Iveria" of First League will play against seventh-placed "Armazi" of Supreme League. This is the first match of these teams and "Iveria" will host it. The second match between these teams will be held at "Wissol" on November 11. Winner will play among the strongest teams at the next Georgian Championship and loser will play in First League.

XXII Georgian Rugby Championship
November 3. Wednesday. Australian playoff. One match will be held
Tbilisi. "Mikheil Meskhi". 16:00
Wissol-Kochebi (Tbilisi) - Aia (Kutaisi)
Tbilisi. "Mikheil Meskhi". 18:00
Lelo (Tbilisi) - Lokomotive (Tbilisi) (qualifying)

November 4. Thursday. Playoff for Supreme League
Tbilisi. "Wissol". 16:00
Iveria (Tbilisi) - Armazi (Tbilisi)


Zura Ksovreli