Georgia National Rugby Union Team - Results Against Russia

Results Against Russia

Georgian national rugby team has an outstanding series of results to the Russian Rugby team. Georgia and Russia have played 16 games from which Russia managed to win only once and one match ended in a draw. Tensions between Russia and Georgia remain high after a brief war in August 2008. The ensuing battle over perception of the conflict, marked by politicians openly lambasting each other on all sides, has resulted in the scheduling of such head-to-head sporting events on neutral soil. In March 2009 in Mariupol, Ukraine, the Georgians walloped the Russians 29-21 as the teams faced off for the first time since the armed conflict. The zeitgeist is one of mixed feelings. While politicians try to remain circumspect about the game, most people are vocal about its significance. Georgian Rugby Union President George Nijaradze said it's always a tough game between the teams despite friendly relations between the players because they are citizens of two rival countries. When the Russian and Georgian rugby teams played for the first time after the brief war, both teams felt immense pressure to take home a victory. Although things were calmer this time around, Lelos Head Coach Tim Lane, who hails from Australia, said “there is a type of hatred from Georgia toward Russia because of the war two years ago and their history.”