The calls for Georgia to enter the Six Nations can only grow louder following historic Italy victory
Will rugby's authorities sit up and take notice after Georgia's landmark win over Italy?
©Georgia Rugby
An inspired performance by the Georgians has once again reignited claims about their future in the rugby world, so is it time to involve them more and where would that involvement be?
On Sunday, we saw one of the greatest and most symbolic games of all time. It seems in a weekend of titanic match-ups, this could be the one that has the most seismic impact. The 50,000-strong crowd provided the backing tune to what was an intense, but also a creative and fluent game of rugby however this match will be remembered for more than just that.
An inspired home side fought from minute one to 80 consistently winning the physical battle upfront and dominating the gain-line against the Azzurri, setting the tone for the whole of the match.
This allowed their backs to flourish with winger Alexander Todua finishing remarkably in the corner after a stab through by scrum-half Vasil Lobzhanidze caught the Italians unaware.
Then full-back Davit Niniashvi embarked on a searing run after gathering a kick through, setting up Tedo Abzhandadze to score with ease under the sticks. It was all Georgia before Italy managed to respond through an impressive carry by Tommaso Menoncello, barging his way through The Lelos defence. However, this proved to be a one-off as Levan Maisashvili's side managed to keep out the visitors for the rest of the game.
Niniashvi once again shone when skating past Italian hero Ange Capuozzo only for him to be pulled down short of the line. However, the Georgians did cross shortly after through Abzhandadze again, putting Kieran Crowley's charges in a tricky situation. Therefore, a late penalty from the hosts would prove too much for the Azzurri to overcome with Tommaso Allan's final three-pointer only softening the blow the home side had dealt to them.
After the final whistle, fireworks filled the sky for the post-match celebrations as scuffles broke out on the pitch, showing the frustration of the Italians and the jubilation of The Lelos.
The symbolic nature of this victory for them cannot be underestimated, with this landmark triumph once again asking questions over not only Italy’s place in the Six Nations but also Georgia's potential inclusion.
Many people see the possibility of a playoff match between the bottom of the Six Nations and the top of the Rugby Europe Championship. This would likely lead to a direct match-up between the two with Georgia routinely finishing top of the Rugby Europe Championship and Italy bottom of the premier northern hemisphere competition. The Lelos under-20 side are also putting in great performances highlighted by their 55-17 win over Scotland last week which once again proves that if they aren't there now, they will be soon.
President of Rugby Europe Octavian Morariu said: “A huge congratulations to everyone who is associated to Georgian rugby on Sunday’s historic evening in Batumi with their win over Italy. We have seen in our own competitions the elite level of rugby that they produce and believe that for them, and the game, to grow further that more opportunities at this level must be a given.
"But we all know that unfortunately, the way European and international rugby are currently structured, does not allow this to happen in the near future. We will be the first at the table to see how we can progressively improve the game in all areas, obviously with a keen focus on Europe and the international teams that play in our continent.”
If Georgia do not have the opportunity to join the Six Nations, rugby will continue to limit itself from growing, denying the emerging nations the chance to play with the elite. Whatever the outcome, one thing that cannot be forgotten is the performance of the home side as they showed they can mix it with the best. Putting the Georgian rugby name out to the world is a statement which surely cannot fall on deaf ears.
