US Georgia state rugby team to support Georgian Lelos at Rugby World Cup

The Georgia Rugby Union, the governing body for the sport in the American state, will lend its voice of support to the national team of Georgia at the upcoming Rugby World Cup in France, Steve Mace, the GRU President, said on Sunday.

While the United States national team has failed to secure a spot at the tournament, Mace said instead the Lelos would “hear our cheers of support from across the sea on your Rugby World Cup match days”.

In his comments offering words of support to the development of the game in the South Caucasus country, the official cited the country’s “commitment to grassroots rugby” and “passion and dedication to our beloved sport” as “not only amazing, but truly humbling as well”.

“That passion and dedication to growing the game from the root to the top of the tree is something that all rugby nations can and should learn from”, Mace said.

The messages of support follow an amusing story in the wake of the Georgian national team’s win over Wales in a test match at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff in November, when the Georgia Rugby Union of the American state began receiving congratulatory messages for the victory from fans mistaking the two “Georgia” teams.

In response to the messages, the governing body of the state clarified they had played no role in the result by saying, “while we appreciate the messages of congratulations, it must be pointed out that we, the Georgia Rugby Union did not defeat Wales today. But thank you”.