Aleksandre Todua, winger of Georgian national rugby team, scored his first try in his second season in France.
Todua, who will turn 26 on November 2, showed himself in New Zealand at the World Cup and soon he joined Pro D2, French 2nd Elite Division. Last season, he had 19, and in current season 6 matches and scored his first French try against “Bezier”.
“Albi” of Vakhtang Akhobadze, Khvicha Bujiashvili, Vakhtang Maisuradze, Giorgi Tetrashvili, Sandro Todua and Kakha Koberidze, won over “Bezier” of Beka Sheklashvii 33:15. Todua played the whole match and scored a try at the 70th minute. Tetrashvili joined the game at the 62th minute, Sheklashvili was in the starting lineup and was substituted at the 47th minute. The first half was tense, the score was 12:12, when Sheklashvili was penalized at the 36th minute and “Albi” won this half with 3 points due to this penalty.
“Bezier” restored balance at the 47th minute, but in the remaining time missed two penalties and two tries, to one of which an accurate conversion was followed. It should be noted, that the first try was scored with the active participation of the Georgians. The first attack was carried out by Todua at the 63th minute, then Tetrashvili got the ball at the left, who cut the line, beat one opponent, moved ahead with a few meters and two opponents were needed to stop the Georgian. When the Georgian was stopped, Samuel Marquez of Portugal (#9) picked up the ball and ran to the unprotected wing. At the 70th minute Todua got the ball at the left wing, he had enough space and crossed the line.
Thus, “Albi” won the last two in a row and three of the last four games and with 13 points moved to the 12th place from the last. 15 points remains to “Bezier” and dropped to the 11th place.
It has been a long time that 26-year-old Guram Kavtidze plays in France, he showed himself by tries even earlier (including Top 14), and in this season he grounded the ball into the opponents side for the 2nd times. “Lyon” of Kavtidze and Vito Kolelishvili defeated “Osh” of Tornike Lomidze 40:12, got also bonus point and strengthened the leader’s position with 32 points. Lomidze was not in the list, Kolelishvili played until the 51th minute, Kavtidze joined the game at the 62th minute and ended the persecution of opponents with 6 tries.
“Lyon” played only on tries and was not mistaken. Before the break, they crossed the line twice, but missed two penalties and the match stayed intrigue – 12:6. “Osh” responded to the missed try conversion in the second half with two tries and the difference reduced to 7 points, but at the final 12 minutes they missed 3 tries again. At the final minute, Kavtidze got the ball, covered approximately 17-18 meters and slithered into the drop goal. “Osh” has 10 points and took the last 16th place.
“Aurillac” of Levam Datunashvili and Giorgi Natsvlishvili won over Tariel Ratianidze’s “Agen”, one of the main competitor, 25:21. Second liner Datunashvili traditionally played without substitution, Ratianidze joined the game after the break, Natsvlishvili joined at the 51th minute. The game passed with the transitional advantage. “Agen” opened the score, then “Aurillac” scored two tries and one arekni, after what promoted with 9:3 at the 20th minute, but before the break got 4 unanswered penalties – 9:15.
At the first 15 minutes of the second half, the teams exchanged penalties, and at the 59th minute the visitors managed to make a good mole. Datunashvili and Natsarashvili actively participated in it and the try was also scored, after an exact conversion “Aurillac” promoted with 18:18 points. The visitors managed to move ahead once again, but they got two penalties and “Aurillac” won 25:21. Thus, the teams gained 26-26 points and are in the 3rd and 4th places.
“La Rochelle” of Lekso Kaulashvili overcame “Bourg-en-Bresse” of Merab Sharikadze 37:10, but the most interesting for the rugby Georgian fans is that Sharikadze, winger of “Lelos”, at the 52th minute replaced Mchedlidze, who was in the starting lineup and was his debut in French Championship. Kaulashvili was not in the list. Visitors could not do anything against their opponents and scored even bonus point. “La Rochelle” is in the 2nd place with 29 points and “Bourg-en-Bresse” is in the 2nd place from the bottom with 11 points.
“Tarbes” of Giorgi Chkhaidze, Giorgi Nemsadze and Iraki Mirtskhulava, hosted “Colomiers” and won 20:15. The coach did not allow them to be in the starting lineup, but at the 56th minute let all of them to join the game. Now “Tarbes” has 16 points and is in the 9th place. The next round matches of Pro D2 will be held on November 2-3.
Zura Ksovreli
