Georgia won their sixth European title last weekend and everyone is asking the same question, when is World Rugby going to make the Six Nations the Seven Nations and let the Georgians in?
The last time Georgia tasted defeat in the REC was back in 2017, losing 8-7 to Romania.
The win also elevated Georgia up to a record-equalling 11th place on the World Rugby rankings, and they are now within touching distance of the top 10.
Georgia’s dominance in the Rugby Europe Championship led to calls for their inclusion in the Six Nations, replacing Italy.
Does regularly beating every team in the REC year-on-year do anything for their development? If not, what else can Georgia do to prove their credentials and not only force the Six Nations’ hand or World Rugby’s?
Well, 2023 could be the year for Lelos to do just that. Right now is probably the golden age of Georgian rugby. Not only do they have a vintage front-row that can challenge the best in the world in scrums, but they also have talented young backline players – some of which are criminally underrated.
Lelos have a challenging pool stage at the Rugby World Cup, drawn with Australia, Fiji, Portugal and Wales, live betting canada will have the latest for the tournament.
Knocking one of the heavyweights in Wales or Australia out of the tournament could go a long way in forcing World Rugby’s and the Six Nations’ hands and a far cry from the side that got hammered 84-6 by England at the 2003 Rugby World Cup.
Georgian captain Merab Sharikadze was speaking to Rugbypass and said;
“But in reality, if you want to improve, two or three games a year is nothing compared to the teams [that top international sides] play. Every game they play [is against tier-one opposition] – maybe two or three games they play tier-two nations like us. So, if the World Rugby heads want us – not only Georgia, teams like us, tier-two nations – to improve, we have to have more regular games.”