Georgia sack Richard Cockerill with immediate effect
NEWS: Former Leicester Tigers head coach Richard Cockerill has been dismissed by Georgia following Black Lion’s crushing 0-52 Challenge Cup defeat in Ireland on Saturday.
The heavy loss was Black Lion’s second in as many matches this season and proved the final straw for Cockerill, whose position had already been under pressure after a mixed November for the Georgia national team.
That campaign ended with a dramatic 23-25 home defeat to Japan, despite earlier wins over Canada and the USA.
Rather than seeing out the remainder of the Challenge Cup and then leading Georgia into their 2026 European Rugby Championship title defence, Cockerill has been relieved of his duties after two years in charge.
The 54-year-old was appointed in January 2024, arriving from a brief stint at Montpellier and following his exit from Steve Borthwick’s England coaching staff after the 2023 Six Nations.
Georgia have been drawn in a challenging pool for the 2027 World Cup alongside defending champions South Africa, Italy, and Romania, but Cockerill will not lead them to Australia.
An administrative shake-up earlier this year is understood to have played a key role in his departure, which was confirmed in the aftermath of Saturday’s defeat.
In a statement, Cockerill thanked the Georgian Rugby Union for the opportunity, acknowledged a change in leadership and vision under new president Davit Kacharava, and said he was proud of the foundations laid during his time in charge.
He described Georgia as a “wonderful country” and said the role provided him with a unique rugby and life experience.
