SIX NATIONS:
WALES’ GREATEST-EVER TRY RELIVED
WALES will play their first ever fixture against Georgia later this year as they welcome the Six Nations hopefuls to the Principality Stadium.
The eastern Europeans will join New Zealand, Australia and South Africa in providing the opposition in the 2017 autumn international series in Cardiff.
It will be a big opportunity for them to further stake their claim for a Six Nations spot in what will be a high-profile game.
There has been a growing clamour for their achievements to be recognised with a place in the tournament, either as an additional side in an expanded tournament or in place of strugglers Italy via a promotion/ relegation play-off.
They have dominated the Rugby Europe Championship – the Six Nations B competition – in recent years, winning it for six successive seasons. And they are now up to twelfth in the world rankings, two places above the Italians, having recorded victories over Tonga and Fiji last year, while drawing with Samoa.
Rugby is one of the most popular sports in the country, with crowds of 50,000-plus having turned out at the Boris Palchadze Dinamo Arena in Tbilsi to watch the national team in action.
The Lelos – as they are nicknamed – have already qualified for the 2019 World Cup in Japan by finishing third in their group in the last tournament in England.
But they have precious few chances to test themselves against the top teams. Excluding World Cup games, they have played Tier 1 one sides only four times in their 28 year history.
So securing a fixture against Wales, in one of the most famous rugby stadiums in the world, will come as a huge boost.
They are extremely serious in their bid for a Six Nations spot, which is being backed by billionaire ex-PM Bidzina Ivanishvili. They are reportedly ready to pay £8.5m a year, from a combination of sources, to take a place among the elite.
There have also been discussions about forming a Georgian franchise which could compete in the Pro12 or Super Rugby.
Scotland Pages 44-47 v Wales build-up: