The Georgian national team have taken to social media, and posted out a call for support to the word-wide rugby community. Georgia posted an appeal to join the Six Nations, with the message clearly presented in the recent post; ‘let us play outside the box’.
Georgia currently play in the Rugby Europe Championship, which is the European competition below the Guinness Six Nations. Georgia have dominated the opposition since the league adapted it’s modern format, with 15 titles since the year 2000.
The #PlayOutsideTheBox message reinforces how Georgia view the Rugby Europe Championship as a glass ceiling. The re-occurring debate around Georgia’s inclusion into the Six Nations if often coupled with talks on Italy’s relegation.
Georgia have certainly staked their claim for promotion into the Six Nations, yet this should not come at the direct expense of the Italians. A promotion-relegation play-off match between the REC winner and Six Nations wooden spoon holder would rightfully prove who deserves a spot in ‘Rugby’s Greatest Championship’.
On two occasions now, Georgia have won the title a staggering six consecutive times in a row. Georgia retained the REC title from 2011 to 2016, and again from 2018 to 2023.
Georgia have proven that they possess the quality to compete with Europe’s elite. Two crucial victorious last year hammer this point home. In July, Georgia secured a comfortable 28-19 win over Italy, with Fly Half Tedo Abzhandadze contributing two tries, and 10 points from the boot. The Georgians then followed this up with a 12-13 away win over Wales in last year’s Autumn Internationals, in what was the nail in the coffin for Wayne Pivac’s time in charge.
Change could soon be upon us, if Georgia continue to showcase their strengths at the 2023 Rugby World Cup.