RC Batumi

Last updated
RC Batumi
RC Batumi club logo.jpg
Full nameRugby Club Batumi LLC
Union Georgia Rugby Union
Founded1969;56 years ago (1969)
Location Batumi, Georgia
Region Adjara
Ground(s)Batumi Rugby Stadium (Capacity: 2 555)
Director of RugbyGela Kobuladze
Coach(es)Irakli Ninidze
Captain(s) Giorgi Tkhilaishvili
League(s) Didi 10
2023–24 5th
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1st kit
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2nd kit

Rugby Club Batumi LLC is a Georgian professional rugby union club from Batumi, who plays in the Didi 10, the first division of Georgian rugby. They have won the competition a total of 5 times.

Contents

History

Didi 10

They have won the top flight competition in Georgia 4 times over its history, the first coming in 1998–99, beating then reigning champions RC Kochebi Bolnisi. Their next title came in 2002, in an all Batumi final with the 1st team going up against the 2nd team, the 1st XV were victorious 27–10. [1]

European Rugby Continental Shield

Batumi were invited to the 2017–18 European Rugby Continental Shield, they were seeded in Pool B with Italian sides Calvisano and Petrarca, as well as Portuguese side CDUL. With 2 wins and 2 losses Batumi finished second in their group advancing to the Pool play offs, being beaten by the Timișoara Saracens 32–18 over two matches. [2] [3]

Rugby Europe Super Cup

After winning the Didi 10 in the 2021–22 season, RC Batumi were invited to the 2022 Rugby Europe Super Cup to replace the two Russian sides after Enisei-STM and Lokomotiv Penza were suspended form the tournament. [4] [5] [6]

Their first match was a Georgian derby against the reigning champions Black Lion, Batumi falling to a 29–3 loss. [7] Their first win came on the 24 September against that years runners-up, beating Israeli side Tel Aviv Heat 19–11. [8] They finished 3rd in the Eastern Conference missing out on qualification for the semifinals. [9] They did not go on to feature in the 2023 edition of the competition.

Current squad

Players

RC Batumi squad for the 2024–25 Didi 10 season

Props

  • Flag of Georgia.svg Saba Surmanidze
  • Flag of Georgia.svg Giga Kobakhidze
  • Flag of Georgia.svg Aleko Shamilishvili
  • Flag of Georgia.svg Bachuki Chumbadze
  • Flag of Georgia.svg Raindi Doghania
  • Flag of Georgia.svg Luka Putkaradze

Hookers

  • Flag of Georgia.svg Vazha Tagauri
  • Flag of Georgia.svg Iona Fircxalava

Locks

  • Flag of Georgia.svg Giorgi Mosulishvili
  • Flag of Georgia.svg Gaga Arabuli
  • Flag of Georgia.svg Lasha Pofkhadze
  • Flag of Georgia.svg Nukri Ferselidze

Back-row

Scrum-halves

  • Flag of Georgia.svg Koba Bujiashvili
  • Flag of Georgia.svg Archil Turmanidze
  • Flag of Georgia.svg Nika Ninidze

Fly-halves

Centres

  • Flag of Georgia.svg Beka Urjukashvili
  • Flag of Georgia.svg Giorgi Tsiklauri
  • Flag of Georgia.svg Nika Dumbadze

Outside Backs

  • Flag of Georgia.svg Zura Ninidze
  • Flag of Georgia.svg Sergi Chkhaidze
  • Flag of Georgia.svg Roma Makhatadze
  • Flag of Georgia.svg Vazha Mikadze
  • Flag of Georgia.svg Vitali Iremadze
  • Flag of Georgia.svg Alexander Todua
  • Flag of Georgia.svg David Trapaidze
Key
  • Senior 15s internationally capped players are listed in bold.
  • * denotes players qualified to play for Georgia on dual nationality or residency grounds.
  • † denotes players dual-registered with Black Lion.

Staff

Role [10] Name
Manager Flag of Georgia.svg Gigi Khocholava
Director of Rugby Flag of Georgia.svg Gela Kobuladze
Head Coach Flag of Georgia.svg Irakli Ninidze
Assistant Coach Flag of Georgia.svg Davit Gugushvili
Assistant Coach Flag of Georgia.svg Paliko Jimsheladze
Physical Trainer Flag of Georgia.svg Giorgi Chkhartishvili
Video Analysis Flag of Georgia.svg Irakli Bezhanidze
Team Doctor Flag of Georgia.svg Paata Tsintsabadze
Physio Flag of Georgia.svg Tiko Laitadze

Record in European games

As of 15 August 2024

OpponentCompetitionPldWDLPFPAPD
Flag of Georgia.svg Black Lion Rugby Europe Super Cup 2002366+63
Flag of Germany.svg Heidelberger RK European Rugby Continental Shield 11003316+17
Flag of Romania.svg Romanian Wolves Rugby Europe Super Cup 21014033+7
Flag of Italy.svg Rugby Rovigo Delta European Rugby Continental Shield 10012731-4
Flag of Israel.svg Tel Aviv Heat Rugby Europe Super Cup 21012736-9
Flag of Romania.svg Timișoara Saracens European Rugby Continental Shield 31023849-11
Flag of Italy.svg Rugby Viadana European Rugby Continental Shield 10013127-4

Notable players

Internationals

Rugby World Cup
TournamentPlayers selected Georgia players
1987–20110
2015 1 Giorgi Tkhilaishvili
2019 3 Giorgi Tkhilaishvili, Alexander Todua, Lasha Khmaladze
2023 3 Luka Matkava, Alexander Todua, Lasha Khmaladze

Honours

See also

References

  1. "კაცთა შინაური კვარცხლბეკი". stat-rugby-ge.translate.goog. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
  2. "2017/18 Continental Shield". Rugby Archive. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
  3. Neacsu, Daniel (2017-12-13). "Timisoara Saracens este pregatita de drumul de 2000 de kilometri pentru urmatoarea confruntare europeana | OpiniaTimisoarei.ro". Opinia Timisoarei (in Romanian). Retrieved 2024-08-15.
  4. "Batumi to join the Rugby Europe Super Cup". Rugby Europe. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
  5. "RC Batumi raring to go in Rugby Europe Super Cup". Rugby Europe. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
  6. "Rugby Europe Statement – Russia and Belarus Suspension". Rugby Europe. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
  7. "RC Batumi vs Black Lion". Rugby Europe. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
  8. "RC Batumi vs Tel Aviv Heat" (PDF). Rugby Europe. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
  9. "Rugby Europe Super Cup 2022". Rugby Europe. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
  10. "დიდი 10 | ბათუმი". stat-rugby-ge.translate.goog. Retrieved 2024-08-15.