Milton Haig- head coach of Georgian national team, made three changes in the staff of the team which beat Romanian national team in Bucharest a week ago -19:13. Two changes from these three are due to injuries and one of them due to renovating staff.
In the previous match, Giorgi Shkinini -who played in experimental position (#15), injured ankle and that’s why he cannot play against Russians. In the upcoming match Irakli Kisiashvili (“Lelo”) will replaces him, who was always called up for national team but has never played in official match (under Haig’s coaching), so now he can show and prove all this possibilities. In the second line Levan Datunashvili replaces Gorgi Nemsadze,a week ago Datrunashvili was not released by him club, as for Nemsadze he will be in substitutions. In the third line, Givi Berishvili will play in the upcoming match instead of disqualified Vato Kolelishvili.

Davit Khinchagashvili will be among substitutions, he also was not released by his club a week ago, as for Mikheil Nariashvili who also plays for the first line is not called up for this match.

As for Russian national team, which is under rejuvenation and renovating process, Kingsley Jones goes on making experiments. There are two changes in the back line of Russian national team which managed to beat Ukraine a week ago. Back-line of the team is considered as the strongest point of the team. Andrey Otrokov will play in the upcoming match instead of Denis Simoplikevich who plays for Sevens team. In the previous match Otrokov was in substitutions and also participated in it. Alexander Yanushkin appeared on the #9 position, he is experienced played and called up special for the match against Georgia. There are two changes in attack line, Andrey Garbuzov and Viktor Gresev, who did not take part in the match against Ukraine are called up against Georgia. Georgian Pavle Kvernadze is in the substitutions.    
As for the statistics, Georgian national team won 13 matches from 15 against Russia. Only in 1993, in the first match between these countries, Russia managed to beat Georgia. For 19 years “The Lelos” has not lost with “The Bears”. All tickets are sold for this match, so the stadium will be overcrowded.
This match is too special for Georgian national team. At this time Spain, Georgia and Romania are in the top three with 10-10 points. Russia is in the fourth place with 9 points. If Georgian national team beat Russia, especially when it gains premier point Georgia guarantees to keep “Nations Cup”, beating Ukrainian national team with bonus-point will not be difficult for Georgia in such case.
In any case, the match between Spain and Romania, which is to be held on March 17 is also important for Georgia. If Spain wins this match, gaining premier point against Romania or against Russia will not do favor for Georgia. If Georgia manages to gain 10 points in two matches, it will be impossible to overtake it.
The match between Georgia and Russia starts at 15:00 o’clock, French referees will serve this match. There will be white or red square-shaped sheet, fans should raise them twice, first when the players will appear on the pitch and when the minute silence, commemorate to Guram Modebadze former head coach of Georgian national team, will be completed.

2012 Nations Cup. V round
Tbilisi. “Mikheil Meskhi”. 15:00 o’clock
Georgia - Russia
Georgia: 15. Irakli Kiasashvili, 14. Irakli Machkhaneli, 13. Davit Kacharava, 12. Merab Sharikadze, 11. Aleksandre Todua, 10. Merab Kvirikashvili, 9. Irakli Abuseridze; 1. Vasil Kakovini, 2. Irakli Natriashvili, 3. Davit Kubriashvili, 4. Giorgi Chkhaidze, 5. Levan Datunashvili, 6. Shalva Sutiashvili, 7. Givi Berishvili, 8. Mamuka Gorgodze.
Substitutes: 16.Rezo Belkania, 17. Davit Khinchagashvili, 18. Giorgi Nemsadze, 19. Dimitri Basilaia 20.Giorgi Begadze 21. Lasha Malaguridze, 22. Tedo Zibzibadze
Head coach: Milton Haig (New Zealand)
Assistants: Chris Gibsy (New Zealand), Ilia Maisuradze, Ilia Zedgenidze

Russia: 15. Yuri Kushnaryovი, 14. Mikhail Babaev, 13. Sergey Trishin, 12. Alexet Makovetsk, 11. Andrey Otrokov, 10. Anton Riabov, 9. Alexander Yanushkin; 1. Alexey Volkov, 2. Nazir Gasanov, 3. Inokenti Zikov, 4. Denis Antonov, 5. Kiryl Kulemin, 6. Artem Patakhov, 7. Andrey Garbuzov, 8. Viktro Gresev.
Substitutes: 16. Kiryl Kopeshkin, 17. Maxim Struza, 18. Vladimir Boltenkov, 19. Pavle Kvernadze, 20. Alexander Shakirov, 21. Pavel Butenko, 22. Dmitry Gerasimov.
Head coach: Kingsley Jones (Wales)
Referee: Matew Reinal (France)
Assistants: Sedrik Marsha, Salem Atala (Both of them from France)

Comissar: Rossano Pacoli (Italy )
 

February 4

Romania - Potugal 15:7 (5:7)

February 11

Spain - Georgia 25:18 (18:8)

Portugal - Russia 32:33 (20:16)

Romania - Ukraine (was delayed)

February  25

Georgia – Portugal 32:7 (7:0)

Russia - Romania 0:25 (0:12)

Ukraine - Spain 6:41 (6:20)

March 10

Russia - Ukraine 38:19 (21:12)

Romania - Georgia 13:19 (10:6)

Portugal - Spain 23:17 (6:8)

1. Georgia   3 2 0 1 69-45 10

2. Romania       3 2 0 1 53-26 10

3. Spain         3 2 0 0 83-47 10

4. Russia           3 2 0 1 71-78 9

5. Portugal   3 0 0 3 46-80 2

6. Ukraine           2 0 0 2 25-79 0

March 17

Georgia - Russia

Spain -Romania

March 24

Ukraine - Portugal

May19

Russia - Spain

June 9

Ukraine - Georgia

2011-12 Nations Cup situation

All the matches between Georgia and Russia:
1993 year. Sopot (Poland). Qualifying match of World Cup
Georgia - Russia 9:15
1996 year. Tbilisi. FIRA
Georgia - Russia 29:20
1998 year. Tbilisi. Qualifying match of World Cup
Georgia - Russia 12:6
2001 year. Krasnodar. Nations Cup
Russia – Georgia 23:25
2002 year. Tbilisi. Nations Cup
Georgia - Russia 12:12
2002 year. Tbilisi. Qualifying match of World Cup
Georgia - Russia 17:13
2003 year. Krasnodar. Nations Cup
Russia – Georgia 17:23
2004 year. Tbilisi. Nations Cup
Georgia - Russia 9:3
2004 year. Krasnodar. Nations Cup
Russia – Georgia 15:27
2006 year. Tbilisi. Nations Cup
Georgia - Russia 46:19
2007 year. Tbilisi. Nations Cup
Georgia - Russia 31:12
2008 year. Krasnoyarsk. Nations Cup
Russia – Georgia 12:18
2009 year. Mariupol (Ukraine). Nations Cup
Russia – Georgia 21:29
2010 year. Trabzon (Turkey). Nations Cup
Georgia - Russia 36:8
2011 year. Sochi. Nations Cup
Russia – Georgia 9:15
 

Zura Ksovreli