Georgian Rugby Community Awards: Best players of 2015 revealed

Three days before Georgia's national rugby team plays its most important match of the European Nations Cup, the country's best players, coaches and reporters of last year have been revealed.

The Georgian Rugby Union gathered its sponsors, partners and players for the annual Georgian Rugby Awards on Wednesday, which presented awards in seven categories.

The ultimate award – Player of the Year 2015 – was awarded to the Lelos captain and French RC Toulon club player Mamuka Gorgodze. It was the fifth time Gorgodze received the award.

Gorgodze led Georgia in its 2015 Rugby World Cup campaign. Photo by Gogita Bukhaidze/Georgian Rugby Union.

The decision to award Gorgodze the ultimate prize surprised no one, after seeing the way Gorgodze lead the team exceptionally at last year’s Rugby World Cup in the United Kingdom.

His leadership on and off the field, and his playing performances at the international competition, saw him receive wide-spread acclaim from reporters and fans from Georgia and all over the world.

Named Player of the Match against New Zealand and Tonga, Gorgodze was also selected for the official World Cup Dream Team as well as world rugby teams of the year by British and New Zealand experts.

Wednesday’s ceremony also awarded four other players and contributors for their efforts in the 2015 rugby season.

Georgian player Lasha Khmaladze, who also plays for Lelo Saracens, was named the Player of the Year of Georgia's National Championship, while Irakli Gegenava from Kochebi Bolnisi took home the title of Try Scorer of the Year.

His club teammate Temur Sokhadze collecte the Points Scorer of the Year award.

In the final National Championship category Levan Maisashvili of Lelo Saracens was named Coach of the Year.

The 2015 Female Player of the Year was awarded to Georgia's women's national rugby team captain Ana Poghosiani, while reporter and rugby enthusiast Levan Jobava for his contribution in raising awareness of the sport in Georgia's remote regions.

Reporter and rugby enthusiast Levan Jobava was awarded for promoting the sport in Georgia's remote regions throughout 2015. Photo by Gogita Bukhaidze/Georgian Rugby Union.

At the awards ceremony the Dream Team of the National Championship was revealed. Veteran players were also recognised for their contribution to Georgian rugby.

The annual ceremony was held three days before Georgia faces Romania in the most important game of its early 2016 season. Georgia and Romania are the two leading teams of the European Nations Cup.

The game will kick off at 5pm local time at Tbilisi's Dinamo Arena stadium on Saturday, March 19.