It's official now: Georgia defeats Russia, wins Rugby Europe Championship 2020
The "Lelos" handed a defeat to Russia 16 to 7 at Mikheil Meskhi stadium earlier today completing the Europe Rugby Championship season for 2020. Photo: Tamuna Kulumbegashvili/Georgian Rugby
Tweet 
Share
The Georgian national rugby team has defeated Russia in the Rugby Europe Championship 2020 in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi today.
???? | The 2020 Rugby Europe Championship Grand Slam winners, @GeorgianRugby ???? pic.twitter.com/JH07ewrB1H
— Rugby Europe (@rugby_europe) February 7, 2021
The Georgian "Lelos" handed a defeat to Russia 16 to 7 in the game that had been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
FT at Meskhi Stadium with #TheLelos wining 16-7 against @russiarugby to complete @rugby_europe Champs 2020 season ????
— Georgian Rugby (@GeorgianRugby) February 7, 2021
???????? Georgi 16:7 Russia ???????? pic.twitter.com/afe92jGL2R
Congratulating the "Lelos" the Russian team said they look forward to meeting again:
Big congratulations to the standout @GeorgianRugby on the W, the #REC2020 title, and another Grand Slam. Thanks for the hospitality and we look forward to doing this again with your passionate fans back in attendance #GEOvRUS
— Russian Rugby (@russiarugby) February 7, 2021
The Georgian team emerged the winner of the Rugby Europe Championship even before the final round back in March, 2020 defeating Portugal, Belgium, Romania and Spain.
Counsellor at the UN Division of the Georgian Foreign Ministry and rugby commentator Sandro Inashvili has tweeted ahead of the game:
The picture speaks for itself! #Lelos forming a map of Georgia a day before they take on #Russia in the final round of #RugbyEurope pic.twitter.com/qHea3SJKPi
— Sandro Inashvili (@SandroInashvil) February 6, 2021
However, its final match against Russia that was to be held on March 14 has been postponed until today.
Research and international development consultant Max Fras ha also tweeted:
Ahead of tomorrow's Georgia Russia @rugby_europe match, here's a list of #GEO #RUS match winners in the last 20 years
— Max Fras (@maxfras) February 6, 2021
2001: ????????
2002: ????????
2003: ????????
2004: ????????
2006: ????????
2007: ????????
2008: ????????
2009: ????????
2010: ????????
2011: ????????
2012: ????????
2013: ????????
2014: ????????
2015: ????????
2016: ????????
2017: ????????
2018: ????????
2019: ????????
The "Lelos" have won Rugby Europe Championship in 2019 and 2018 as well.
A brand-new rugby arena will emerge in western Georgia's hub city Zugdidi, with the local government announcing the construction on Thursday.
Domestic sporting competitions have been suspended in Georgia as a safety measure amid the global coronavirus outbreak, with international tournaments and matches either cancelled or going behind closed doors.
Georgia's national rugby team will play its postponed Rugby Europe fixture against Russia in February 2021, in one of three games that will round off the competition the Lelos won after four games this year.
Georgian national rugby team's Rugby Europe Championship last round fixture against Russia has been postponed as part of Rugby Europe's suspension of all games under its organisation until the end of November, due to worsening COVID-19 situation across the continent.
The Georgian national rugby team will have a busy month of March in the new Rugby Europe season, with four games to be played in the space of three weeks by the Lelos.
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.
The Georgian national rugby team has handed a defeat to Portugal 29 to 16 in Rugby Europe Championship 2021 in Lisbon today. The Georgian "Lelos", which have won Rugby Europe Championship in 2020, 2019 and 2018 are the 'dominant force' at the competition, World Rugby says.
The Georgian national rugby team has handed a defeat to Spain 25:19 in the Rugby Europe Championship 2021 in Madrid today. Over a week ago the Lelos also defeated Portugal in Lisbon.
The Georgian national rugby team has handed a defeat to Russia 23:6 in the Rugby Europe Championship 2021 in Kaliningrad today. This is the third victory for Georgia at the championship, which also serves as the qualifying tournament for the Rugby World Cup France 2023.
World Rugby, the international governing body for the sport, has resumed its financial support for Georgia after a "positive" meeting between representatives of the global organisation and Georgia Rugby Union that clarified management-related questions after repeatedly postponed elections for the president of the local body over the last year.