Regular championship has ended up in French Federale 1. Five teams of the Georgian legionaries will compete in play off for getting in PRO D2. The play offs will start on April 21.
“Macon” of Avto Kopaliani and Shota Melikidze and “Saint-Etienne” of Giorgi Gabelia and Revaz Jgenti gained a right to play in play off from I Group. In the last round of the regular championship these teams played against each other. “Macon” had already guaranteed playing in play off. Host “Saint-Etienne” needed victory and achieved it – 34:26.
Only Gabelia got on the list of “Saint-Etienne”. He was a substituted and played for the last two minutes. Kopaliani was in lineup of the guest team. He was substituted at the 51st minute. It is worth mentioning that “Macon” played only on scoring tries. By the 43rd minute it had scored four tries, three conversions and two penalties – 26:6. The host team which needed only victory did its best, scored 3 tries and used two conversions in 20 minutes. In the last 10 minutes they scored other three penalties and made through to play off.
“Macon” took the third place with 48 points. “Saint-Etienne” took the 4th place with 44 points. In 1/8 final “Macon” will play against the second-placed of IV Group “Nevers”. “Saint-Etienne” will play against “Montauban”.
“Chalon” of Giorgi Jashitashvili needed to beat “Lille” but could not do it – 12:22. At the 67th minute “Chalon” advanced 12:10 but could not keep advantage. The team was scored two tries and lost. Jashitashvili started playing at the 44th minute. His “Chalon” took the 6th place with 36 points.
“Montlucon” of Devi Datunashvili, Revaz Gigauri and Elizbar Kuparadze defeated “Strasbourg” by bonus point – 32:5. Gigauri played for the whole match. Kuparadze was in lineup and was substituted at the 64th minute. “Montlucon” finished the season in the 5th place with 39 points. “Strasbourg” took the last place with 2 points.
“Vienne” of Zero Petriashvili lost to “Dijon” 6:9. “Vienne” took the 9th place with 33 points. The Georgian was in lineup and was substituted at the 50th minute. His team advanced 6:0 but at the host team restored balance at the 69th minute. At the last seconds they gained victory.
In II Group “Romans” of Irakli Ninidze took the third place with 49 points and will play in play off with “Saint Nazaire” of the Georgians. This team had guaranteed playing in play off, but played draw with “Agde” – 34:34. The Georgian legionary showed up at the 52nd minute when his team was losing 14:20. The guests advanced 27:20 by the 69th minute. When the hosts restored balance but advanced by try-conversion at the 77th minute. At the overtime they were scored try-conversion and gained only two points.
In this group “Aubenas” of Temur Gelantia and Beka Urjukashvili won over “Chateaurenard” of Giorgi Kutarashvili 42:14 and gained a bonus point. “La Seyne” won its match too and “Aubenas” was left beyond play off. Gelantia was in lineup and was substituted while the break. Urjukashvili was a substitute and started playing at the 56th minute. Kutarashvili showed up at the 50th minute. “Aubenas” earned 44 points. “Chateaurenard” took the last place with 26 points.
“Rodez” of Davit Kacharava lost to leader “Bourgoin” 12:35 and took the 8th place with 33 points. The Georgian played for the whole match.
Two teams of the Georgians went through to play off from III Group. In the last round “Saint Nazaire” of Bachuki Gujaraidze and Shota Tskhovrebashvili beat “Niort” by a bonus point – 56:7. Gujaraidze played for 80 minutes and scored try at the 79th minute. It is the third try of Gujaraidze in this season. “Saint Nazaire” took the second place with 66 points. In 1/8 final it will play against “Romans” of Ninidze.
“Perigueux” of Tedo Zibzibadze took the third place with 62 points and will play against “Valence”. “Perigueux” defeated “Langon” 34:26. The Georgian started playing at the 53th minute, “Perigueux” left PRO D2 last year.
“Hagetmau” of Mikheil Gachechiladze defeated “Tyrosse” 13:28. The Georgian played for the whole match. His team took the 8th place with 28 points. “Marmande” of Nikoloz Magaldadze and Irakli Chomakhashvili took the last place with 20 points. It lost to “Saint-Jean d’Angely” 14:40. The Georgian legionaries did not play in this match.
The teams of the Georgian legionaries from IV Group lost a chance to play in play off a long time ago. “Saint-Junien” of Merab Kvirikashvili and Giorgi Mchedlishvili lost to “Saint-Medard” 19:28 and took the last place with 23 points. Kvirikashvili earned 14 points.
He scored 4 penalties and advanced his team 12:10. At the 45th minute Kvirikashvili scored conversion (19:18). It was not enough for final success. Mchedlishvili substituted injured compatriot at the 37th minute and played till the end.
“Bagneres” of Lasha Malaguradze and Simon Maisuradze lost to “Nevers” 14:31. “Bagneres” took the 8th place with 31 points. Malaguradze scored conversion and two penalties in the first half. He was substituted at the 65th minute. Maisuradze was in lineup and played for 54 minutes.
Zura Ksovreli
