Georgia to host World Rugby U20 Championship in 2017

Georgia has gained the right to host one of the most prestigious worldwide rugby events in 2017.

The World Rugby website today announced that the World Rugby U20 Championship will be held in Georgia in two years.

The decision to award the U20 Championship to Georgia was taken unanimously by World Rugby Council at a meeting in Dublin this week.

"I would like to congratulate the Georgian Rugby Union on being chosen to host the prestigious U20 Championship in 2017,” World Rugby Chairman Bernard Lapasset said.

Lapasset also thanked Georgian Government for expressing determination to host the tournament.

"The future stars of world rugby will enjoy a great event in 2017, with unique hospitality and a warm welcome in a country that boasts such a rich cultural and sporting heritage,” he said.

Georgia’s Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili responded to the news today and noted this was a great recognition for Georgian rugby players and for the whole country.

"I would like to congratulate each of our rugby players with this important success. This means that you and your success are appreciated. We are proud of you, we are proud of our hero players,” he said.

"We need to hold this championship at the highest level in 2017. The whole world will be watching our nation and we will meet teams from all over the world with dignity,” Garibashvili noted.

President of the Georgian Rugby Union Giorgi Nizharadze emphasized that hosting the World Rugby U20 Championship 2017 was the "highest honour” for Georgian rugby and for Georgia itself.

"This tournament is a perfect way to the further promotion of rugby in our country and we are delighted to be chosen to host this event. This is an acknowledgement of the level which Georgian rugby has reached and shows what has been done to develop rugby here,” Nizharadze said to the World Rugby website.

Rugby is one of the most successful and popular sports in Georgia. The Georgian rugby team has recently become the winner of the European Nations Cup five times in a row, which triggered discussions about Georgia’s participation in the most prestigious European tournament - Six Nations.

You can see the photos from Georgia’s latest triumph on the European Nations Cup In Pictures.

In addition to the success of Georgian National Team, in April the juniors of Georgian rugby have achieved a historic result by reaching the final of the U18 European Championship Elite Division.

The U20 Championship, which is being held in Italy this year, has seen 343 players graduate to the international test arena since the inaugural tournament in 2008, including many of the world's top stars.