Georgian players shine in French rugby league match

Two Georgian rugby players played a vital role in their club team's comfortable win in a French national league match on Saturday.

Match Day 22 of the National Rugby League (also known as Top 14) saw second-placed club Montpellier face Grenoble and emerge as winner with the score 51-10.

Georgian props David Kubriashvili and Mikheil Nariashvili featured in the Montpellier starting line-up. Both players were important parts of their team's side, with Kubriashvili scored a try in the 16th minute of the game.

David Kubriashvili (C) in action for Montpellier in a French National Rugby League match. Photo from www.montpellier-rugby.com.

The win kept Montpellier just two points behind the tournament-leading club Clermont and five points ahead of third placed Toulon.

Last month Nariashvili was named in the dream team of the league's Match Day 21 by French rugby publication Midi Olympique after Montpellier defeated Stade Francais in an away game.

Saturday's fixtures of the French championship also saw three other Georgian players named in the starting line-up for their respective teams.

Georgia's national rugby team captain Mamuka Gorgodze started for Toulon in its game against Toulouse, which featured Georgian prop Vasil Kakovin. The game finished with the score 10-12 to Toulouse.

In another game on Saturday, Karlen Asieshvili was in the starting line-up of ninth-placed Brive, which lost to tournament outsiders Agen with the final result 37-19.

In today's remaining matches of Match Day 22, three more Georgians are expected to take to the field for their French club teams.

Tournament leaders Clermont, featuring players David Zirakashvili and Victor Kolelishvili, will play fourth-placed Racing, who could field Georgia's David Khinchagishvili.