Georgia’s junior rugby team to join European elite in new tournament
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Georgia's junior national rugby team will have the opportunity to face leading Six Nations teams starting next year, following an initiative by organisers of the prestigious tournament to invite the Junior Lelos for a new competition.
Georgian Rugby Union president Gocha Svanidze received the offer from Six Nations Council chairman Pat Whelan following the World Rugby Under 20 Championship hosted in two Georgian cities from May 31-June 18.
The letter outlined a new initiative for a tournament involving either U19 or U20 teams from the Six Nations championship, which involves England, France, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Italy. They will be joined by aspiring rugby nations Georgia and Romania in the proposed tournament.
The initiative follows the successful hosting of the U20 World Championship in Georgia, which concluded last month. Photo: Tamuna Kulumbegashvili/Georgian Rugby.
The new tournament is expected to take place annually in the month of May and is scheduled to run ahead of the World Rugby U20 Championship.
Svanidze and this year's U20 World Championship director Bacho Khurtsidze told reporters at a press conference on Tuesday the move was a result of the successful hosting of the tournament in Georgia.
Georgian rugby officials will be involved in meetings with organisers from Six Nations to work on further details on structure and specific dates of the tournament.
Georgia and Romania have been pushing for a place in the Six Nations tournament for their senior rugby teams in the wake of the two countries' recent progress on the European rugby scene.
Georgian players will also face their French counterparts in the new competition. Photo: Tamuna Kulumbegashvili/Georgian Rugby.
The exceptional performance of the two teams has been highlighted in their domination of the European Nations Cup tournament involving the continent's second-tier teams.
Georgia and Romania's calls for frequent opportunities against Six Nations competitors also found support among pundits writing for rugby publications including The Telegraph and officials including former World Rugby chairman Bernard Lapasset.
While the tournament will remain closed for the two countries, the new U20 competition will finally see the Junior Lelos measure themselves against the leading European teams on a regular basis.
Chairman of World Rugby Bill Beauont sent a letter to Georgia’s Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili in which he thanked the Government of Georgia and the country’s rugby leadership for ensuring "top class” under 20 Championship.
Georgia are guaranteed a place at next year's World Rugby Under 20 Championship after defeating Argentina at the ongoing U20 tournament in Tbilisi earlier today.
A dozen of the world’s best rugby teams are taking to the pitch in Georgia’s capital Tbilisi and the city of Kutaisi as the World Rugby U20 Championship launched in the country earlier today.
Georgia and Romania should be given a chance to play in a revamped Six Nations competition, says chairman of World Rugby - the international governing body for the sport.
Georgia's national rugby team forward Jaba Bregvadze will become the first player from the country to play at the Super Rugby competition, promoted as the leading club tournament of the Southern Hemisphere.
For the first time in the history of Georgian rugby, Tbilisi hosted European Rugby Challenge Cup matches at the Avchala Rugby Stadium today where Georgian rugby player Giorgi Pruidze has been named as The Man of the Match.
Georgia’s national rugby team is in the United Kingdom to train with England, in a rare opportunity for the Lelos to face top-tier competition.
The first video of Georgia's national rugby team training with their counterparts from the England squad has emerged on the web, showing the massive scrum of the Lelos facing the hosts in London.
Georgia’s Under-20 national rugby team have claimed their first victory at the ongoing Rugby World Cup in France after the team kept a step ahead of Ireland on Thursday.
Georgia’s under-20 national rugby team has made history at the Rugby World Cup by following up their win over Ireland with another major victory against Scotland.
Nick Mallett, the former coach for South African and Italian national rugby teams, has criticised the latest rejection of chances for Georgia to enter the Six Nations tournament and declared there should be a discussion about letting the Lelos have more chances to compete against top-tier teams in Europe.