On June 18-30, in Salt Lake City Georgian national U-20 rugby team will compete at forthcoming tournament with different staff. If last year an emphasis on physical, violent games was trump for the team now open rugby has been added and trainers hope that it will bring victory.

Though June still the new head coach of the club, Scottish Jan Richard Smith who spent most of the part of his career in  England, he has already started to select candidates trains 35-38 players  every day at “Shevardeni”, 26 of them will be selected for the US. Smith knows the majority of players, because last year in Romania, U-19 team won European Championship and guaranteed playing at "Trophy".

It was shown exactly in Romania at European championship that "Small Georgians" played beautiful, opened rugby and after that a management of Rugby federation replaced Paata Narimanashvili by Smith. In North America competitors of Georgians are - States, Canada, Tonga, Chile, Japan, Russia and Zimbabwe, which became champion in Africa.

These eight teams will be distributed on two groups, winners of groups will play in final and will fight for World Cup with top 12 teams next year.

 “World Sport” talked to Lado Kilasonia an assistant of Scottish head coach after one of the trainings.

- June is too far but in spite of this U-20 team World has already begun preparation for World Cup “Trophy”.

- We are following to the program. Now the greatest attention is given to physical preparation. Then we will enter rugby elements in training and finally we will work on tactics, we do our best not to tire guys. On June 4 we leave for Canada.

- How many candidates are trained at present moment with you?

- 35-38 sportsmen. We will choose 26 players for World Championship. Much will be depended on Georgian championship.

- This year tournament was held with a lot of changes. Does it cause any problem for you?

- No, absolutely on the contrary. These changes helped us very much. Georgian championship begins in September, before it Georgian clubs compete at other tournament and at such time taking players from clubs are very easy.

- Who will be our main competitors in Salt Lake City and what is goal of Georgian team at this tournament?

It is too difficult to tell something. Traditionally they will be Japan, Tonga, US and Canada. In Tbilisi we saw that Zimbabwe has very good team. We played against Russia in Romania and it is very well prepared. In spite of this, we have a good generation and have ambitious.

- What is trump of U-20 team?

- Both aspects should be considered equally. Physics without a ball and on the contrary is impossible, we will try to keep balance. Considering team tactics, we will be more balanced. Tournament in Romania has shown that the line-players can do much for the team.

- What caused changes in lines, new coach or new generation?

- Both together. Jan Smith, Richard has introduced his thoughts and tries to enter progressive rugby in Georgia. Also players, who play abroad played their own role in it. One of them is  Sharikadzea who was called up for national team. Besides, increase in level of the championship. And variety of factors, all these give some result but there is still too much work ahead.

Zura Ksovreli