Georgia’s “historic” rugby win over Italy in spotlight of int’l publications
One more publication calling the victory of the Georgian team “historic” is the Daily Mail, which also called the event a “phenomenal rugby experience”, noting Georgia deserved to have more of them. Photo: Georgian Rugby Union
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The Georgian national rugby team’s test match triumph over Italy, which marked the Lelos’ first-ever win against a Tier 1 nation last week in Georgia’s Black Sea city of Batumi, has attracted the attention of international sports publications.
Ajara Tourism Department, the regional body serving the city and the region where the game was hosted, posted a collection of quotes from foreign sports websites in the wake of the game on Thursday.
It quoted RugbyPass, one of the publications dedicating a piece to the victory that said the Lelos had “made history”, and pointed out the country’s record for their “first-ever win” over a Tier 1 side, a term used to describe leading national rugby teams.
History had been made. Georgia had won. And the supporters and players alike erupted”, RugbyPass reported.
Another publication covering Georgia’s triumph against a Six Nations team for the first time was Rugby World, which said the Lelos were “no longer a team that relies solely on their set-piece”, adding “they have more of an all-court game with dangerous runners in their back-line”.
They beat Italy 28-19 in front of a vocal crowd in Batumi, which is located on the Black Sea coast, and fireworks were launched from the city’s skyscrapers to mark the famous triumph”, Rugby World said.
Italian La Reppublica also wrote a piece about the Georgian team’s win and noted the Lelos proved to be stronger than the Azzurri, “intensifying its ambition” to take a place in the “most prestigious tournament”, in reference to the Six Nations competition that does not currently allow inclusion of new teams, despite many calls to allow qualification for new aspiring entrants. Photo: Georgian Rugby Union
Another Italian publication La Gazzetta dello Sport called the defeat an "ice shower" for Italy and pointed out it was a “heavy and well-deserved” defeat for the Italians, adding Georgia deserved its “honoured place” in big rugby.
One more publication calling the victory of the Georgian team “historic” is the Daily Mail, which also called the event a “phenomenal rugby experience”, noting Georgia deserved to have more of them.
Rugby is Georgia's national sport and the passion for it here is obvious. You only had to be in Batumi to realise that. The home anthem was belted out with gust”, Daily Mail said.
Along with the “historic” match, Batumi also came under the attention of publications as the host city of victory and international competitions, the Department said.