Lelos name settled team to face Boks
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Georgia coach Levan Maisashvili named a settled matchday 23 for Friday’s Test against the Springboks in Pretoria.
It will be only the second time these two teams will meet in the international arena.
The Boks beat the Lelos 46-19 in a pool match in Sydney at the 2003 World Cup.
This will be South Africa’s first game as a team since they won the World Cup in Japan in November 2019.
Georgia had a game against the Netherlands this past Saturday, June 26, when they beat the Dutch team 48-15 in a Rugby Europe Championship fixture at the Kavkasioni Arena, in Telavi.
The backline is unchanged from that outing.
The halfbacks are Vasil Lobzhanidze (No.9) and Tedo Abzhandadze (No.10), with team captain Merab Sharikadze and Giorgi Kveseladze in the centres.
Aka Tabutsadze and Mirian Modebadze will play on the wings, David Niniashvili at fullback.
There are some changes among the forwards.
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Hooker Jaba Bregvadze and tighthead prop Giorgi Melikidze keep their places, with Guram Gogichashvili at looshead prop.
The second row forwards are Kote Mikautadze and David Gigauri.
Among the loose forwards there are two changes – Beka Saginadze, who played on the flank in the previous match, combining with flank Giorgi Tsutskiridze and Tornike Jalagonia at No.8.
Among the six replacement forwards there is one debutant – prop Luka Japaridze.
The other prop is veteran Nikoloz Khatiashvili and the replacement hooker is Giorgi Chkoidze.
The two second row forwards on the bench are Nodar Cheishvili and Giorgi Javakhia.
The replacement loose forward is Ilia Spanderashvili.
Gela Aprasidze is the reserve scrumhalf and Giorgi Babunashvili is the utility back on the bench.
Georgia: 15 Davit Niniashvili, 14 Akaki Tabutsadze, 13 Giorgi Kveseladze, 12 Merab Sharikadze (captain), 11 Demur Tapladze, 10 Tedo Abzhandadze, 9 Vasil Lobzhaidze, 8 Tornike Jalagonia, 7 Beka Saginadze, 6 Giorgi Tsutskiridze, 5 Konstantine Mikautadze, 4 Gigauri Davit, 3 Giorgi Melikidze, 2 Jaba Bregvadze, 1 Guram Gogichashvili. Replacements: 16 Giorgi Chkoidze, 17 Nikoloz Khatiashvili, 18 Luka Japaridze, 19 Nodar Cheishvili, 20 Giorgi Javakhia, 21 Gela Aprasidze, 22 Giorgi Babunashvili, 23 Ilia Spanderashvili.
Date: Friday, July 2
Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Kick-off: 19.00 (21.00 Georgia time; 15.00 GMT)
Referee: Mike Adamson
Assistant referees: Marius van der Westhuizen, Frank Murphy
TMO: Marius Jonker
