Georgia will play Russia

   On Saturday, 8th March, 
   At Dymano Stadium (cap 2,000) in Krasnodar (Russia);
   Kick-Off: 14 hrs local = 15 hrs GeoT = 11 hrs GMT
   No TV coverage!

   The Lelos held a four-day camp at Palace in sacred 
town of Mtskheta and worked out in nearby Saguramo

   They will take-off to Krasnodar on board of chartered 
YAKovlev-40 plane on Fri, 7 March, at 17 hrs local time

   GEO are at their best. In the back division burly 
fullback Khamashuridze is back from hand injury and cheeky 
scrumhalf Abusseridze is no more troubled by bruised ribs

   Upfront two stalwarts, Vano Nadiradze and Guia Labadze
got to starting XV and are hopeful of dominating lineout

   The squad is still missing flanker-cum-wing/centre 
Vassil Katsadze (26 caps - 7T) and more importantly, 
prop Levan Tsabadze (33 caps - 10T) who actually did NOT
represent his country in greco-roman wrestling at 2000
Syndey Olympics 'cause he had switched to rugby fulltime 
in early 1990s

   Tsabadze scored the winning try in October when GEO beat
Russia by 17-13 in crucial RWC qualifier. In all the teams
have met 6 times. GEO won 4, RUS 1 (ten years ago) and last
year the ENC game ended in a draw. Two years ago GEO won
in Krasnodar by 2 as RUS missed injury-time conversion in
a swirling wind

(For Georgia's international record click here)

Georgia 

(number of caps - scoring record; recalled; 
NC New cap;   For further details click here): 

XV:

15 Bessik Khamashuridze (26 - 7T), 
11 Badri Khekhelashvili (20 - 6T), 
14 Makho Urjukashvili (25 - 7T, 16c, 23p);

13 Tedo Zibzibadze (20 - 4T), 
12 Irakli Guiorgadze (4), 
10 Paliko Jimsheladze (34 - 6T, 43c, 19p, 1dg);

 9 Irakli Abusseridze (18 - 4T); 

 1 Goderdzi Shvelidze (20 - 3T), 
 2 Akvsenti Guiorgadze (28 - 7T), 
 3 Tato Ratianidze (14);

 4 Vano Nadiradze (28 - 3T), 
 5 Victor Didebulidze (24 - 4T);

 6 Guia Labadze (29 - 6T), 
 7 Gregoire Yachvili (5 - 2T) 
 8 Ilia Zedguinidze CAPT (19 - 7T)

BENCH:

22 Kakha Alania (22), 
21 Irakli Gundishvili (3 - 1T), 
20 Merab Kvirikashvili (2); 

16 David Khinchagashvili NC, 
17 Mevlud Mtiulishvili (24), 
18 Zurab Mtchedlishvili (28 - 2T), 
19 David Bolghashvili (17 - 2T). 

HEAD COACH  Claude Saurel
BACKLINE COACH  Patrique Fort
FITNESS Thierry Roudil