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 4 times.

RC Batumi
Full nameRugby Club Batumi LLC
UnionGeorgia Rugby Union
Founded1969; 55 years ago (1969)
LocationBatumi, Georgia
RegionAdjara
Ground(s)Batumi Arena (Capacity: 1,500)
Director of RugbyGela Kobuladze
Coach(es)Irakli Ninidze
Captain(s)Giorgi Tkhilaishvili
League(s)Didi 10
2023–245th
1st kit
2nd kit

History

edit

Didi 10

edit

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

edit

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

edit

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

edit

Players

edit
RC Batumi squad for the 2024–25 Didi 10 season

Props

edit
  •   Saba Surmanidze
  •   Giga Kobakhidze
  •   Aleko Shamilishvili
  •   Bachuki Chumbadze
  •   Knight Doghania
  •   Jaba Shatirishvili
  •   Murman Jijavadze
  •   Luka Putkaradze

Hookers

edit
  •   Vazha Tagauri
  •   Iona Fircxalava

Locks

edit
  •   Giorgi Mosulishvili
  •   Gaga Arabuli
  •   Lasha Pofkhadze
  •   Nukri Ferselidze

Back-row

edit

Scrum-halves

edit
  •   Koba Bujiashvili
  •   Archil Turmanidze
  •   Nika Ninidze

Fly-halves

edit

Centres

edit
  •   Beka Urjukashvili
  •   Giorgi Tsiklauri
  •   Nika Dumbadze

Outside Backs

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

Record in European games

edit

As of 15 August 2024

Opponent Competition Pld W D L PF PA PD
  Black Lion Rugby Europe Super Cup 2 0 0 2 3 66 +63
  Heidelberger RK European Rugby Continental Shield 1 1 0 0 33 16 +17
  Romanian Wolves Rugby Europe Super Cup 2 1 0 1 40 33 +7
  Rugby Rovigo Delta European Rugby Continental Shield 1 0 0 1 27 31 -4
  Tel Aviv Heat Rugby Europe Super Cup 2 1 0 1 27 36 -9
  Timișoara Saracens European Rugby Continental Shield 3 1 0 2 38 49 -11
  Rugby Viadana European Rugby Continental Shield 1 0 0 1 31 27 -4

Notable players

edit

Internationals

edit
Rugby World Cup
Tournament Players selected Georgia players
1987–2011 0
2015 1 Giorgi Tkhilaishvili
2019 3 Giorgi Tkhilaishvili, Alexander Todua, Lasha Khmaladze
2023 3 Luka Matkava, Alexander Todua, Lasha Khmaladze

Honours

edit
  • Didi 10
    • Champions: (4) 1998–99, 2001–02, 2018–19, 2021–22
    • Runners-up: (6) 1997–98, 2000–01, 2008–09, 2016–17, 2020–21, 2022–23

See also

edit

References

edit
  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.
edit