“Tbilisi Caucasians” had a good chance to make through to the group stage of “Challenge Cup”. “Rovigo Delta” of Italy was not much better than “Tbilisi Caucasians” but the Georgians made more mistakes than the opponent, could not use chances and lost the match.
There were mistakes in the first match and even more in the second leg. But overall, two-match duel can be estimated positively. It was the first step of the Georgian club rugby in a big rugby. The mistakes caused by lack of experience and you cannot gain experience without taking the first step.
Now we know that the Georgian clubs can play leader teams of Italian Championship and we will achieve success for sure.
About 7 000 fans came to “Mikheil Meskhi” stadium to watch the match against “Rovigo”. It is good that number of Georgian rugby fans is increasing.
The beginning of the match was really bad. Stefan Basson had a chance to score penalty but he missed it. But soon Ngawini scored try but Basson missed conversion – 0:5.
However, “Caucasians” scored try in 4 minutes. Bachana Gogishvili was the author of the try. Beka Tsiklauri used conversion and the Tbilisi club advanced 7:5. Unfortunately, from this moment the hosts could not gain a single point during an hour.
At the 14th minute Zviad Maisuradze tackled the opponent in the neck and referee did not show him yellow card. The Georgians made mistakes one after another. The Italians used it and Andrea De Marchi scored try. Basson used conversion – 7:12.
At the 31st minute Davit Gurgenadze and Massimiliano Ravalle had an argument and referee showed them yellow card. In two minutes Basson scored penalty from 40 meters – 7:15 and the first half finished.
The first 15 minutes of the second half was held on the half of “Rovigo” but “Caucasians” could not get a point. After that “Rovigo” won a right to take penalty and Basson scored from 45 meters – 7:18. Soon the Georgians scored try but the referee annulled it justly.
At the 68th minute Khmaladze scored try and Tsiklauri used conversion – 14:18. Unfortunately, at the 72nd minute Basson scored penalty – 14:21.
“Caucasians” had a little chance and they did their best. At the 79th minute Khmaladze scored another try and conversion. He restored balance and the Georgians had a chance to go through the group of “Challenge Cup”. Unfortunately, Basson scored penalty and the Italians won the match 24:21.
2014/15 “Challenge Cup” Qualification
Playoff. Second legs. September 27
Tbilisi. “Mikheil Meskhi”. 7 000 spectators
Tbilisi Caucasians (Georgia) – Rugby Rovigo (Italy) 21:24 (7 :15)
Tbilisi Caucasians: 15. Irakli Kiasashvili (22. Temur Sokhadze 72), 14. Beka Tsiklauri (23. Giorgi Pruidze 74), 13. Aleksandre Todua, 12. Giorgi Aptsiauri, 11. Giorgi Shkinini, 10. Lasha Khmaladze (cap.), 9. Giorgi Begadze (21. Giorgi Kacharava 54); 1. Bachana Gogishvili, 2. Badri Alkhazashvili (16. Irakli Chomakhashvili 52), 3. Davit Gurgenadze (18. Giorgi Sanikidze 50), 4. Beka Bitsadze, 5. Mikheil Archuashvili, 6. Giorgi Tkhilaishvili (19. Giorgi Mchedlishvili 41), 7. Elguja Surguladze (20. Bachana Kolelishvili 61), 8. Zviad Maisuradze (18. Giorgi Sanikidze 33-40+3; 17. Sandro Koiava 52).
Head coach: Levan Maisashvili
3 tries: Gogishvili (8), Khmaladze (67, 78)
3 conversions: Tsiklauri (9, 68), Khmaladze (79)
1 sin-binned: Gurgenadze (31)
Rugby Rovigo: 15. Stefan Basson, 14. Billy Ngawini, 13. Denis Majstorovic, 12. Francesco Menon, 11. Steven Bortolussi, 10. Luciano Rodriguez, 9. Giorgio Bronzini (21. Marco Frati 64); 1. Nicola Quaglio (18. Gheorghe Gajion 64), 2. Enrico Ceccato (16. Luke Mahoney 54), 3. Massimiliano Ravalle (17. Guillermo Roan 45), 4. Giuseppe Boggiani, 5. Jean-Francois Montauriol, 6. Emiliano Caffini (17. Guillermo Roan 33-40+3), 7. Adrea De Marchi, 8. Matteo Ferro (cap.) (23. Lorenzo Lubian 64).
Substitutes: 19. Matteo Maran, 20. Edoardo Lubian, 22. Davide Farolini.
Coaches: Filippo Frati, Andrea De Rossi
2 troes: Ngawini (4), De Marchi (24)
1 conversion: Basson
3 penalties: Basson
1 conversion: Basson
2 sin-binned: Ravalle (31), De Marchi (36)
Zura Ksovreli
