Lelos name squad to face rugby world champions South Africa
The Lelos seen in training after their arrival in Pretoria, to face their world champion hosts twice over the period of a week starting on Wednesday. Photo via Georgia Rugby Union.
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The coaching staff of the Georgian national rugby team has revealed the 23 players travelling to South Africa to face the current world champions in two test games starting this week.
Head coach Levan Maisashvili and scrum coach Ilia Maisuradze named the squad on Wednesday, as the team is in preparation for the first of the two fixtures, set for kick-off in Pretoria on Friday.
The two coaches said their selection had been dictated by "numerous" injuries the Lelos are having to deal with, as well as players in need of rehabilitation after recovering from Covid-19 virus in the recent weeks.
With one uncapped player waiting for his chance to win 1st international cap for Georgia #TheLelos coaching Staff named Squad for the first Test against @Springboks
— Georgian Rugby (@GeorgianRugby) June 30, 2021
Read more here: https://t.co/AC7bP7Txw3 pic.twitter.com/4Wr4IQXssi
[The team] agreed that the stronger the [South African] team selection, the better if would be for us. We have nothing to lose, while the boys will gain big experience
- Levan Maisashvili, head coach
Maisashvili particularly noted the injury picked up by flanker Mikheil Gachechiladze against the Netherlands in the Rugby Europe Championship-winning match between the teams on June 26, noting the player was a "major force" for the team.
The South African selection to face the Lelos sees 18 World Cup-winning players included, with 12 of them having played against England in the 2019 final of the championship. Jacques Nienaber will have his first test match as the head coach of the team against Georgia.
???? BREAKING! Your Springbok team to face @GeorgianRugby on Friday
— Springboks (@Springboks) June 29, 2021
???????? Three uncapped players included next to 18 RWC winners
????️ “We have selected the best team with a good balance..."
???? Full story: https://t.co/FA88tHUE8C#StrongerTogether #StrongerForever #CastleLionsSeries pic.twitter.com/dH5SppS4Da
The games in Pretoria on Wednesday and Johannesburg on July 9 will mark the first fixtures between the two teams oustide the World Cup. The Lelos first faced South Africa at the 2003 World Cup in Australia, which the South African team won with a score 46:19. The Sydney fixture saw the emerging Georgian team score their first World Cup try.
The two tests will be followed with another game against a tier-1 squad for the Lelos, with the Georgian team set to host Scotland in Tbilisi on July 17, after their return from South Africa.