RC Batumi

Rugby Club Batumi LLC is a Georgian professional rugby union club from Batumi, who plays in the Didi 10, the first division of Georgian rugby. They have won the competition a total of 5 times.

RC Batumi

Full name	Rugby Club Batumi LLC
Union	Georgia Rugby Union
Founded	1969; 56 years ago (1969)
Location	Batumi, Georgia
Region	Adjara
Ground(s)	Batumi Rugby Stadium (Capacity: 2 555)
Director of Rugby	Gela Kobuladze
Coach(es)	Irakli Ninidze
Captain(s)	Giorgi Tkhilaishvili
League(s)	Didi 10
2023–24	5th
1st kit 2nd kit

History

Didi 10

They have won the top flight competition in Georgia 4 times over its history, the first coming in 1998–99, beating then reigning champions RC Kochebi Bolnisi. Their next title came in 2002, in an all Batumi final with the 1st team going up against the 2nd team, the 1st XV were victorious 27–10.^[1]

European Rugby Continental Shield

Batumi were invited to the 2017–18 European Rugby Continental Shield, they were seeded in Pool B with Italian sides Calvisano and Petrarca, as well as Portuguese side CDUL. With 2 wins and 2 losses Batumi finished second in their group advancing to the Pool play offs, being beaten by the Timișoara Saracens 32–18 over two matches.^[2][3]

Rugby Europe Super Cup

After winning the Didi 10 in the 2021–22 season, RC Batumi were invited to the 2022 Rugby Europe Super Cup to replace the two Russian sides after Enisei-STM and Lokomotiv Penza were suspended form the tournament.^[4][5][6]

Their first match was a Georgian derby against the reigning champions Black Lion, Batumi falling to a 29–3 loss.^[7] Their first win came on the 24 September against that years runners-up, beating Israeli side Tel Aviv Heat 19–11.^[8] They finished 3rd in the Eastern Conference missing out on qualification for the semifinals.^[9] They did not go on to feature in the 2023 edition of the competition.

Current squad

Players

RC Batumi squad for the 2024–25 Didi 10 season
Props Saba Surmanidze Giga Kobakhidze Aleko Shamilishvili Bachuki Chumbadze Raindi Doghania Luka Putkaradze Hookers Vazha Tagauri Iona Fircxalava Locks Giorgi Mosulishvili Gaga Arabuli Lasha Pofkhadze Nukri Ferselidze	Back-row Giorgi Iremadze Giorgi Shukakidze Giorgi Tkhilaishvili Niko Aptsiauri Vano Putkaradze Scrum-halves Koba Bujiashvili Archil Turmanidze Nika Ninidze Fly-halves Buba Nozadze Luka Matkava Lasha Khamaladze	Centres Beka Urjukashvili Giorgi Tsiklauri Nika Dumbadze Outside Backs Zura Ninidze Sergi Chkhaidze Roma Makhatadze Vazha Mikadze Vitali Iremadze Alexander Todua David Trapaidze
Key Senior 15s internationally capped players are listed in bold. * denotes players qualified to play for Georgia on dual nationality or residency grounds. † denotes players dual-registered with Black Lion.

Staff

Role[10]	Name
Manager	Gigi Khocholava
Director of Rugby	Gela Kobuladze
Head Coach	Irakli Ninidze
Assistant Coach	Davit Gugushvili
Assistant Coach	Paliko Jimsheladze
Physical Trainer	Giorgi Chkhartishvili
Video Analysis	Irakli Bezhanidze
Team Doctor	Paata Tsintsabadze
Physio	Tiko Laitadze

Record in European games

As of 15 August 2024^[update]

Opponent	Competition	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD
Black Lion	Rugby Europe Super Cup	2	0	0	2	3	66	+63
Heidelberger RK	European Rugby Continental Shield	1	1	0	0	33	16	+17
Romanian Wolves	Rugby Europe Super Cup	2	1	0	1	40	33	+7
Rugby Rovigo Delta	European Rugby Continental Shield	1	0	0	1	27	31	-4
Tel Aviv Heat	Rugby Europe Super Cup	2	1	0	1	27	36	-9
Timișoara Saracens	European Rugby Continental Shield	3	1	0	2	38	49	-11
Rugby Viadana	European Rugby Continental Shield	1	0	0	1	31	27	-4

Notable players

Internationals

• Giorgi Tkhilaishvili
• Alexander Todua
• Lasha Khmaladze
• Luka Matkava
• Anzor Sitchinava
• Saba Shubitidze
• Niko Aptsiauri

Rugby World Cup

Tournament	Players selected	Georgia players
1987–2011	0	–
2015	1	Giorgi Tkhilaishvili
2019	3	Giorgi Tkhilaishvili, Alexander Todua, Lasha Khmaladze
2023	3	Luka Matkava, Alexander Todua, Lasha Khmaladze

Honours

• Didi 10
  • Champions: (4) 1998–99, 2001–02, 2018–19, 2021–22
  • Runners-up: (6) 1997–98, 2000–01, 2008–09, 2016–17, 2020–21, 2022–23

See also

• Category:Batumi RC players
• Didi 10