1928,1940,1948 Unsuccessful attempts of introducing rugby to Georgia
1959 First team, GPI formed by Jacques Haspekian
1961 Three-team comp, Tbilissi championship
1962 First game v Russians (Lost 9-12 to Trud Moscow)
First "abroad" tour (Russia, Latvia)
1963 Disappointment because of
ref's bias while participating
in the
inaugural soviet trade-union tournament
1964 Tbilissi Rugby Section reformed into Georgia Rugby Federation
1967 Visit by French trade-union selection
First National Championships completed
1977 Visit by Penguins Football Club: great boost for improving
playing
standards
1978 First lift of Soviet Cup by Georgian club, Locomotivi
1979 Locomotivi beat Headingley (England) 17-16 at Vake
1987-89 Kutaissi won Soviet Championship three years in succession
1987 Locomotivi culled after 'Sovetski Sport' libel (Aircraft Affair)
1988 First National Sevens
1989
Inaugural Test for
Georgian LELOS:
won vs Zimbabwe 16-3
Federation reformed into
Union, and
the Game itself renamed as
RAGBI
Georgians at International Congress in England
1991 Withdrawal from Soviet Champs
1992 IRFB welcomes Georgia as their 52nd Member Union
1993 Rugby ceased in Western Georgia for civil unrest and foreign invasion
Frustrating draw in Luxembourg; national coach sacked
1994 Erkvani Kutaissi flirts with Russian Rugby League
Gumari (Georgian Barbarians) formed and toured France
1995 Inception of Sini, local version of NZ Ranfurly
Shield
Mr Gueguidze elected as President of GRU
Borjghali (Lelo) re-instated
as national crest
Rugby is back at the National Stadium after 27 year-long exile
1996 Georgia defeated Russia 29-20 in the epic and topped FIRA Pool
1997 Claude Saurel appointed as LELOS advisor
1998 Georgia beat Russia in another epic
Gumari players moved to France en
masse
LELOS lost to Romania and were sent to
Repechage
1999 LELOS could not outwit Tonga and did not make RWC'99 Finals
2000 Mr Gueguidze re-elected; Saurel assumes LELOS leadership
2001 LELOS won ENC and thus
have been ranked 7th in Europe
LELOS finished 10th at 7s
World Cup
Junior LELOS promoted to top level of
U-19 Worlds
Junior LELOS finished 10th at U-19 Worlds