Sharikadze returns as captain - Georgia announce team to play Wales

Georgia head coach Levan Maisashvili has made five changes to his starting side to face Wales at Stade de la Beaujoire in Nantes on Saturday, 7 October. Guram Gogichashvili and Shalva Mamukashvili return to the front row, Nodar Cheishvili comes into the second row while captain Merab Sharikadze returns at centre and full-back Lasha Khmaladze makes his first appearance at Rugby World Cup 2023.

1 Guram Gogichashvili
2 Shalva Mamukashvili
3 Beka Gigashvili
4 Nodar Cheishvili
5 Konstantine Mikautadze
6 Mikheil Gachechiladze
7 Beka Saginadze
8 Tornike Jalagonia
9 Vasil Lobzhanidze
10 Luka Matkava
11 Davit Niniashvili
12 Merab Sharikadze (c)
13 Giorgi Kveseladze
14 Akaki Tabutsadze
15 Lasha Khmaladze

Replacements:
16 Vano Karkadze
17 Nika Abuladze
18 Irakli Aptsiauri
19 Vladimer Chachanidze
20 Giorgi Tsutskiridze
21 Gela Aprasidze
22 Tedo Abzhandadze
23 Demur Tapladze

• Head coach Levan Maisashvili has made five personnel changes to his starting XV from their 17-12 loss against Fiji, with three in the forward pack, and two in the backline.
• Guram Gogichashvili and Shalva Mamukashvili both return to the front row to pack down alongside Beka Gigashvili.
• Nodar Cheishvili partners Konstantine Mikautadze in the second row for the first time since their opening game against Australia, after earning his past two caps as a replacement.
• Captain and centre Merab Sharikadze returns to the run-on team to win his 99th test cap.
• Full-back Lasha Khmaladze will make his first appearance at RWC 2023 after playing three matches at RWC 2011 and four at RWC 2019.
• There are 15 survivors in the match-day 23 from their 13-12 victory in Cardiff last year, including 11 in the starting XV. Fly-half Luka Matkava played just seven minutes off the bench in that game, but kicked the winning penalty from 45 metres.
• Number eight Tornike Jalagonia has not missed a tackle at RWC 2023, completing all 48 attempts. Only Italy’s Lorenzo Cannone (33) and Japan’s Kazuki Himeno (31) have also made 30 or more tackles without missing one.
• Georgia have four different try-scorers so far at RWC 2023 in Beka Gigashvili, Tengizi Zamtaradze, Luka Ivanishvili and Akaki Tabutsadze. No Georgian has ever scored more than two tries at a single Rugby World Cup tournament.