Georgian national rugby team started preparation with the whole team at “Shevardeni” base for the match against Portugal, which is to be held on February 25. “The Lelos” hold the second match of Nations Cup 2012 at “Avchala” stadium. The match starts at 14:00 o’clock and Italian referees will serve it. The prize of the ticket is 10 GEL. The stadium is for 2100 spectators, while there are much more fans who want to attend this match. Rugby Union wanted this match to be held at “Boris Paichadze” or at “Mikheil Meskhi”, which are for more spectators than “Avchala” stadium but both these stadiums are private and they did not change their mind.
Reconstruction works are to be started at “Erovnuli” stadium which belongs to “Dinamo” Tbilisi and for holding the match between “The Lelos” and “Portugal” football club demabded 40 000 GEL, as for “Mikheil Meskhi”, it hosts the sparring match between Georgian and Albanian national football teams on February 29 and GFF decided to take care of lawn.  Rugby players will play in Vake a bit later. On March 17, Russian national team arrives in Tbilisi and every door of any stadium will be opened for “The Lelos” due to this fact.
So, it is the first time when Georgian national rugby team holds the match at “Avchala” stadium.

After failure with Span 18:25, there are called up such 9 players who did not play in Madrid. Changes touched to the first line, where are called up experienced Vasil Kakovini, Davit Kubriashvili and Revaz Belkania who have not played for “The Lelos” for a long time. Irakli Abuseridze captain of national team is not among these 28 players, but there are Mamuka Gorgodze, Shalva Sutiashvili and Vito Kolelishvili in the staff.  As far as you know Kolelishvili broke his nose before leaving for Spain and that why could not held the team in the previous match.
In a word, Georgian national team follows its plan and young players are given chance to show their possibilities at Nations Cup as well as against US and Canada in June. Calendar gives chance of it this year, which cannot be said about 2013 when start qualifying rounds of World Cup 2015. Till that time is given chance to increase number of candidates from 80 to 100.

It must be mentioned that some players cannot help “The Lelos” due to injuries and some of them settled different reasons and did not arrive.  Iuri Natriashvili was among these 28 players, but his club has important match on February 24, it fights for keeping place in Top 14 and that’s why he cannot arrive in Georgia. According to Giorgi Nijaradze president of Rugby Union of Georgia, Giorgi Jgenti the first liner of “Montpellier” always will be called for national team, the same happened now but as his club stated he could not help “The Lelos” due to neck’s injury, he needed 10-day treatment, but it is fact that he played for 53 minutes for his club on February 18…

Giorgi Chkhaidze who always used to play in the third line for his club and national team in this match he will play in the second line.

It is also newsworthy that Shalva Mamukashvili who used to play for “Kochebi” last year, will play for “Armia”. Irakli Chkhikvadze back-liner of”Aia” joins to “Armia’. Giorgi Begadze left “Kochebi” and joined “Batumi XV”. Dimitri Basilaia has signed contract with “Ediburg” and will join it in summer.
 
 Called up players for Georgian national team:

Vasil Kakovini, Levan Chilachava, Revaz Belkania, Mikheil Nariashvili, Davit Kubriashvili, Shalva Mamukashvili, Konstantine Mikauchadze, Levan Datunashvili, Giorgi Chkhaidze, Mamuka Gorgodze, Dimitry Basilaia, Viktro Kolelishvili, Shalva Sutiashvili, Giorgi Kalmakhelidze, Beka Bitsadze, Giorgi Begadze, Bidzina Samkharadze, Merab Kvirikashvili, Lasha Malaguridze, Beka Tsiklauri, Merab Sharikadze, Davit Kacharava, Irakli Machkhaneli, Irakli Kaisashvili, Aleksandre Todua, Giorgi Shkinini, Givi Berishvili, Irakli Chkhikvadze.  

 Head coach:  Milton Haig (New Zealand)

Coaches: Chris Gibsy (New Zealand), Ilia Maisuradze, Ilia Zedgenidze

2012 Nations Cup

February 4

Romania - Portugal 15:7 (5:7)

February 11

Spain - Georgia 25:18 (18:8)

Portugal - Russia 32:33 (20:16)

Romania - Ukraine (was delayed)

1Russia         1 1 0 0 33-32 4

2. Romania      1 1 0 0 15-7 4

3. Spain       1 1 0 0 25-18 4

4. Portugal   2 0 0 2 39-48 2

5. Georgia 1 0 0 1 18-25 1

6. Ukraine     0 0 0 0 0-0 0

February 25

Georgia - Portugal

Russia – Romania

Ukraine - Spain

March 10

Romania - Georgia

Portugal - Spain

Russia - Ukraine

March 17

Georgia -Russia

Spain - Romania

March 24

Ukraine - Portugal

May 19

Russia - Spain

June 9

Ukraine - Georgia 

 Zura Ksovreli