Georgia's Lelos mark 300th international with legends returning to Tbilisi for Tonga clash

Georgia’s Lelos reach their 300th international on Saturday when they host Tonga at the Avchala Stadium in Tbilisi, with five members of the original 1989 squad returning in person to mark the milestone.

Wingers Bartlome Khamashuridze and Aleksander Khvedelidze, centre Malkhaz Cheishvili, No.8 David Ghudushauri and replacement Gela Pirtskhalava will be in the stands — none of their modern successors had even been born when the Lelos first took the field.

Georgia, then known as the Shevardens (Falcons), played that opening match on 12 September 1989, beating Zimbabwe 16-3 in Kutaisi during the final years of the Soviet era. Across the 299 matches since, the Lelos have compiled 187 victories, 10 draws and 102 defeats, with 124 games played on home soil, 118 away and 57 at neutral venues.

Tonga are a fitting opponent for the occasion. One of Georgia’s proudest results came against the Ikale Tahi at Rugby World Cup 2015 in Gloucester, a match that also produced a piece of history: Vasil Lobzhanidze, aged 18 years and 340 days, became the youngest player ever to appear at a Rugby World Cup. He starts at scrum-half on Saturday.

Georgia have not lost to Tonga in the four meetings since that 2015 encounter, and they arrive unbeaten through their first four Nations Cup fixtures. Currently ranked 13th in the World Rugby Men’s Rankings — having briefly climbed to 11th — the Lelos are widely regarded as the dominant force in European rugby outside the Six Nations.

The programme continues to grow. Georgia made their Rugby World Cup debut in 2003 and will compete at the tournament for a seventh time next year in Australia.