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Georgia will again welcome top international Rugby this year as it was announced today that the country would host the IRB Tbilisi Cup in June.
Spain, Emerging Italy and Argentina Jaguars will join the hosts from June 14 to 22 in the Georgian capital for yet another opportunity for Tier Two nations to play competitive games in the run up to next year’s Rugby World Cup.
The round-robin competition will be played across three match days – June 14, 18 and 22 – at the Avchala Stadium in Tbilisi.
The Tbilisi Cup, which is funded by the International Rugby Board, plays a very important high-performance role for participating nations and for the ongoing growth of Rugby in Georgia.
IRB Head of Competitions and Performance Mark Egan said: “Georgia recently qualified for Rugby World Cup 2015 after a tremendous unbeaten run in the FIRA-AER European Nations Cup Division 1A, which culminated in a fantastic victory against Romania in Tbilisi, which again showcased the Union’s ability to host great Rugby matches.”
“Hosting the IRB Tbilisi Cup this year will give Georgia a good opportunity to test their progress against tough international opposition such as Emerging Italy, Argentina Jaguars and Spain, while also gaining invaluable squad preparation and experience for next year’s Rugby World Cup.”
President of the Georgian Rugby Union George Nijaradze said: “I would like to thank IRB for this opportunity to host the IRB Tbilisi Cup once again. This tournament is beneficial for the development of Georgian Rugby and its popularisation within the country and worldwide.”
“It is great for Georgian Rugby fans, who love to watch Rugby tournaments of such a high level.”
IRB Tbilisi Cup 2014 Fixtures (all times are local)
Saturday, June 14
17:00 – Georgia v Spain
19:00 – Emerging Italy v Argentina Jaguars
Wednesday, June 18
17:00 – Georgia v Argentina Jaguars
19:00 – Emerging Italy v Spain
Sunday, June 22
17:00 – Georgia v Emerging Italy
19:00 – Argentina Jaguars v Spain
