Georgia name squad for Test one against Springboks
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The Lelos’ Head Coach Levan Maisashvili named the 23-man squad for the first test-match against the standing World Champion South Africa.
The match will be played on July 2 in Pretoria. The clash is going to be the Bokke’s first international since the RWC 2019 final.
After the June 26 match against Netherlands, Georgia has selected the same backs. At center team captain Merab Sharikadze will team up with Giorgi Kveseladze, Aka Tabutsadze and Mirian Modebadze will play at wings and David Niniashvili at fullback.
There are changes among the forwards: Hooker Jaba Bregvadze and right-hand prop Giorgi Melikidze keep their positions, Guram Gogichashvili plays at left-hand prop.
Second row forwards are Kote Mikautadze and David Gigauri, and in the third row there are two changes: Beka Saginadze, who played at flanker in the previous match, teams up with flanker Giorgi Tsutskiridze and no. 8 Tornike Jalagonia.
Among the six replacement forwards there is one debutant – prop Luka Japaridze. The other prop is Nikoloz Khatiashvili, and replacement hooker – Giorgi Chkoidze.
The two second-row forwards on the bench are Nodar Cheishvili and Giorgi Javakhia, and replacement third-rower – Ilia Spanderashvili. Gela Aprasidze is a reserve scrum-half, and Giorgi Babunashvili – reserve back.
Backs: 15. David Niniashvili (6 caps, 20 points), 14. Akaki Tabutsadze (12 caps, 55 points), 13. Giorgi Kveseladze (34 caps, 25 points), 12. Merab Sharikadze (კაპ. 77 caps, 60 points), 11. Demur Tapladze (9 caps, 5 points), 10. Tedo Abzhandadze (25 caps, 162 points), 9. Vasil Lobzhanidze (58 caps, 50 points);
Forwards: 1. Guram Gogichashvili (22 caps, 10 points), 2. Jaba Bregvadze (66 caps, 25 points), 3. Giorgi Melikidze (28 caps, 15 points), 4. David Gigauri (11 caps, 5 points), 5. Kote Mikautadze (67 caps, 10 points), 6. Giorgi Tsutskiridze (21 caps, 15 points), 7. Beka Saginadze (21 caps, 15 points), 8. Tornike Jalagonia (9 caps, 10 points);
Substitutes: 16. Giorgi Chkoidze (16 caps, 5 points), 17. Nikoloz Khatiashvili (5 caps), 18. Luka Japaridze (uncapped), 19. Nodar Cheishvili (31 caps), 20. Giorgi Javakhia (6 caps, 5 points); 21. Gela Aprasidze (34 caps, 24 points), 22. Giorgi Babunashvili (3 caps, 9 points); 23. Ilia Spanderashvili (1 caps).
