Rugby Test: Ukrainians Play in Georgia

13.11.2009
Ukraine v Georgia 'A' in Tblissi

Venue: Estadio National Dinamo de Tbilisi.

Referee:

Preview
This weekend is a huge weekend of rugby celebrations. Firstly the FIRA-AER (who run European Conrinental rugby) celebrate their 75th anniversary in Brussels. Georgia is also celebrating. This weekend they celebrate their 50th anniversary as a rugby union. This match is the first celebration. Tomorrow the full Georgian side takes on the Argentine Jaguars.

It has been many years since a Georgian team and a Ukrainian team took to the same rugby field at senior men's level. In the very early days of Georgian international rugby they played 4 tests in a row. That was back in 1991-92. Georgia won all those tests and a handful against the Ukrainians since.

Since those early days the Ukrainians have only played in the same league as the Georgians once. That was in 2005-06 when the Ukraine were promoted to ENC 1 and then quickly departed in 2007, back to ENC 2A. But they look to be back on their way up to ENC 1 as they presently lead ENC 2A. The Georgians will find the Ukrainians more of a handful than did the Poles last weekend.

The Ukrainian side is not their strongest. As with Poland last weekend, European national sides are having difficulties selecting their strongest sides. In Ukraine's case two Russian-based players are unavailable as are some players from certain clubs. It's difficult to find out why.

Previous Encounters
Georgia 'A' has never played Ukraine before. The Georgian First XV has played and defeated the Ukrainians on a number of occasions.

GWC Rugby Rankings do not apply.

Prediction: Georgia 'A' by 25 points.

Teams

Ukraine Squad
Sergei Garkavy (RC Olymp-RSC KhTZ)
Nikolai Kirsanov (RC Olymp-RSC KhTZ)
Vadim Kolyshkin (RC Olymp-RSC KhTZ)
Oleg Kosarev (RC Olymp-RSC KhTZ)
Vyacheslav Kraslynyk (RC Olymp-RSC KhTZ)
Maksym Kravchenko (RC Olymp-RSC KhTZ)
Oleksandr Lomakin (RC Olymp-RSC KhTZ)
Oleg Lytvynenko (RC Olymp-RSC KhTZ)
Jaba Malaguradze (RC Kredo 63)
Andrei Melnikov (RC Olymp-RSC KhTZ)
Dmytro Mukhin (RC Olymp-RSC KhTZ)
Vadym Mysyk (Olimp-Electronmash, Tiraspol)
Oleksandr Myshynev (RC Olymp-RSC KhTZ)
Igor Snisarenko (Olimp-Electronmash, Tiraspol)
Serhiy Sukhykh (RC Olymp-RSC KhTZ)
Oleksandr Tsapenko (RC Olymp-RSC KhTZ)
Serhiy Tserkovny (RC Olymp-RSC KhTZ)
Maksym Tyurikov (RC Olymp-RSC KhTZ)
Oleg Vasyuchenko ( RC Aviator) *
Sergei Yanchiy (RC Olymp-RSC KhTZ)
Nazar Zozulya (Obolon-University)
Alexander Zyablov (RC Epokha-Polytechnic) *
Head Coach:

* New Caps

For “various reasons”, no other players from Credo-63" and Lviv "Falcon", "Epoch-Polytechnic", "The Aviator" and "Argo-NAU".

“Unable to come to the coach Valery and Sergey Kochanova Nedbaylo also Russia Legionnaires Vitaly Orlov ( "STM-Yenisey, Krasnoyarsk) and Andrew Golischev (" Empire ", Penza)”.

http://rugby.biz.ua/index.php?newsid=2044

Georgia 'A'

Team not yet available