Georgia are heading to their fifth straight Rugby World Cup since they first qualified in 2003 and will look to build on their best ever finish in 2015, where they beat Tonga and Namibia to finish third.

Last year was one to remember for Georgian rugby, as they defeated Tier 1 nations Italy and famously Wales 13-12 at the Principality Stadium.

They have also won the last six Rugby Europe Championships in a row, and the case for them to join the Six Nations continues to spark intense debate among rugby fans.

Head coach Levan Maisashvili, who almost died after contracting Covid-19 in South Africa in 2021 while on tour with the national team, has been at the helm since 2020 and overseen some outstanding victories for the Lelos.

Many Georgian players now play their club rugby in France across the Top 14 and ProD2, including star winger Davit Niniashvili of Lyon.

Georgia Rugby World Cup squad 2023

This section on squad selections will be updated with the full Lelos squad as soon as the first one is officially announced via Georgia Rugby.

Georgia’s Head Coach Levan Maisashvili (Getty Images)

Georgia Rugby World Cup Pool

Georgia have been drawn in Rugby World Cup Pool C alongside Australia, Portugal, Fiji and Wales.

Their group stage fixtures are as follows:

Sat 9 Sept Australia v Georgia  (Stade de France, Saint-Denis)

Sat 23 Sept Georgia v Portugal (Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse)

Sat 30 Sept Fiji v Georgia (Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux)

Sat 7 Oct Wales v Georgia (Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes)

The knockout stages will follow the same format as previous years, with teams from Pools A and B then Pools C and D meeting in the quarter-finals. So Wales and England could meet in the last eight, for example.

QF1 – Winner Pool C v Runner-up Pool D
QF2 – Winner Pool B v Runner-up Pool A
QF3 – Winner Pool D v Runner-up Pool C
QF4 – Winner Pool A v Runner-up Pool B

Then the semi-finals will be the Winner of QF1 v Winner QF2 and the Winner QF3 v Winner QF4.

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