In a major coaching shake-up, former England hooker and forwards coach Richard Cockerill has taken the helm as head coach for Georgia and assumed charge of their domestic squad, Black Lion.
Cockerill, 53, brings a wealth of experience from his tenure as part of the England coaching staff under Eddie Jones, where he even stepped in as interim head coach following Jones' departure in December 2022.
Notably, he steered Leicester to three titles in 2007, 2009, and 2010, and has previously led teams such as Toulon, Edinburgh, and Montpellier.
Despite Georgia's current world ranking at 14th, the team faced a challenging World Cup last year, concluding at the bottom of Pool C during the tournament in France. Their performance included a draw against Portugal and losses in the remaining three group matches.
Cockerill is set to make his debut as head coach with Georgia in a crucial match against Germany during the Rugby Europe Championship 2024 Finals on February 4. Meanwhile, Black Lion, Georgia's domestic side, competes in the Rugby Europe Super Cup, positioned as the third tier of continental competition, just beneath the prestigious Champions Cup and Challenge Cup.
A former England hooker with 27 international appearances between 1997 and 1999, Cockerill remains an iconic figure from his playing days and was a key contributor to the Leicester team's success in the 1990s.
2024 Six Nations poll:
Fans all-time Six Nations XV
BACK-THREE:
Fullback: Stuart Hogg (Scotland) - 50%
Winger: Shane Williams (Wales) - 51%
Winger:Jason Robinson (England) - 33%
Robinson is nicknamed '' after a character in the British comic
DID YOU KNOW? Jonny Wilkinson was the 2003 BBC Sports Personality of the Year
FRONT-ROW:
Loosehead-prop: Gethin Jenkins (Wales) -30%
Hooker: Keith Wood (Ireland) - 58%
Tighthead-prop: Adam Jones (Wales) - 45%
DID YOU KNOW? Keith Wood was nicknamed 'The Raging Potato' because of his bald head. He was also known as 'Uncle Fester' due to his resemblance to a character in The Addams Family
SECOND-ROW:
Lock: Martin Johnson (England) - 60%
Lock: Paul O'Connell (Ireland) - 53%
DID YOU KNOW? Martin Johnson briefly played American football for the Leicester Panthers as a tight end or defensive end
DID YOU KNOW? Sam Warburton, who captained the Lions in 2013 and 2017, has an older twin brother, Ben, who played at semi-professional level with Glamorgan Wanderers RFC and is now a physiotherapist for the Cardiff Blues.
QUIZ: Can you name England’s Grand Slam winning XV from 2016?
Back in 2016, England clinched a Six Nations Grand Slam with a triumphant 31-21 victory over France at the Stade de France in Paris.
This historic win, the team's first Grand Slam in 13 years under Eddie Jones' leadership, marked a significant milestone.
Now, lace up your virtual boots and see if you can recall the rest of the XV from the final match of the Six Nations.
We've already revealed Maro Itoje and Owen Farrell's names to give you a head start on this virtual rugby challenge.