Statement: Richard Cockerill sacked with immediate effect

The heavy defeat marked a second straight loss for the Tbilisi-based franchise in this season’s competition and proved decisive for Cockerill, whose position had already come under scrutiny. It followed a mixed November campaign for the Georgia national team, which ended in a dramatic 25-23 home defeat to Japan after earlier victories over Canada and the USA.

Rather than seeing out the remainder of the Challenge Cup with Black Lion and then turning his attention to Georgia’s 2026 European Rugby Championship title defence, Cockerill has been shown the door after two years in charge.

The 54-year-old took on the role in January 2024, arriving after a brief spell with Montpellier and his departure from Steve Borthwick’s England set-up at the end of the 2023 Six Nations.

Georgia have already been drawn in a tough pool for the 2027 Rugby World Cup alongside defending champions South Africa, Italy and Romania, but Cockerill will not lead them to Australia. An administrative power shift earlier this year ultimately paved the way for his exit, which was confirmed in the aftermath of Saturday’s humbling Black Lion loss.

In a media statement, Cockerill said: “I would like to thank the Georgian Rugby Union for the honour of being the head coach of the Georgian national team and the franchise, the ‘Black Lions’, for two years.

“Ioseb Tkemaladze, the former president of the Georgian Rugby Union, invited me and I personally thank him for this opportunity. In April 2025, Davit Kacharava became the new president of the Georgian Football Federation. He has a different vision for the development of the Georgian national team and I respect his decision.

“I personally wish him and his team success in their future endeavours. I am proud of my time as head coach of the Georgian national team. I have created a solid foundation for the team’s future and I am leaving it in a better position than it was before.

“Georgia is a wonderful country with an amazing culture and warm, hospitable people. I gained a unique rugby and life experience.”

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