Georgia v Romania | Antim Cup Highlights | Rugby Europe Championship 2024

Georgia played Romania in the semi-finals of the Rugby Europe Championship for a place in the Final. Every year the teams play for the Antim Cup.

[@ika8711]

I am a Georgian and it breaks my heart that Romania is experiencing regression today! Georgia and Romania are rugby countries, and world rugby must do something to develop rugby, otherwise the same thing awaits Georgia in the future if they don't develop and won't be given more games against high-ranking teams.

[@maieldmik5233]

Well played Georgia. It's all about doing the basics right. Cheers from NZ 🇳🇿

[@johnqueripel2001]

Would love to see a European knockout cup. The major nations would enter at round 2 but all would be invited eg Germany, Belgium, Romania etc. Of course one of the 6 Nations sides would win (probably Ireland currently) but certainly Georgia would be getting games against the 6 Nations teams. 6 Nations won't change as it is private, run by them.

[@alexthenomad3862]

An impressive show from Georgia especially in the second half, easily could be 60+ if they were bit precise in the first half. Looking forward for a great final! Go lelooos! 🏉🏉🏉

[@balwc147]

Yeah romania looked very weak. Missed a lot key players in this game

[@jakeclough8090]

@@balwc147they’re just a team slowly falling into obscurity

[@balwc147]

@@jakeclough8090 yeah and it's a damn shame.

[@jakeclough8090]

@@balwc147 oh absolutely, but it’s reality. How can you expect a country that can’t even do well in football in Europe to then do well in a sport they don’t even play much. The likes of Spain, the other 7 in the rugby Europe championship and others like Switzerland, Czechia and even Croatia are putting much more investment into the game than Romania and all will overtake Romania, some within 4 years, some within 20 but it will happen

[@winco68]

@@jakeclough8090 Yes it’s a crying shame especially considering they were quite a strong team before the game went pro. Having said that in those days they were being financed by the communist government.

[@gkankava]

Bravo, Niniashvili!

[@berg8559]

ძმებო პორტუგალიას ისე მოვუგოთ რო რაგბის თამაში აღარ მოუნდეთ.. ნუ რა თქმა უნდა ესპანეთს გაცდნენ ჯერ..

[@user-K0T_BEGEM0T]

Очень просто 🇬🇪🇬🇪🇬🇪💪

[@welshwonderkids6975]

Georgia & Portugal should be promoted to new 8 Nations.

[@winco68]

If they were awash with cash they probably would be but they aren’t so it won’t happen. If you know anything about 6N Rugby you’d know that it’s a closed shop and that the concept of promotion/relegation are anathema to them. No team will enter that tournament until it can guarantee it will bring significantly more money with it than it takes out of it. It’s not a meritocracy all about money I’m afraid.

[@fearghal10]

That said, if there were more friendlies pitting teams like Georgia against tear 1 more regularly then everyone could start getting a sense of if they're at the level of not. Could be that they're able to challenge Wales at the moment, but no way to find out.

[@winco68]

@@fearghal10 Absolutely and i agree with you in that respect. I’ve been thinking as i know others have too that a Rugby Euros in between RWC years maybe the answer. At least it will give the Tier 2 in Europe more exposure to 6N opponents. 16 teams in 4 groups of 4 top 2 in each group go through to knockout stages. Also if it was held in Spain, Portugal or one of the other Tier 2 nations it would give the sport more exposure in countries where it’s a minority sport.

[@fearghal10]

@@winco68 Yes and bring more money and exposure to get the grassroots developing, which is ultimately the only way to grow rugby in the long term. It's sad that the established countries don't see it as a worthwhile long term investment to more actively help bring more nations up towards their standard. The structures of international and club tournaments are already a bit convoluted though, adding more will just make the logistics tougher, unless it's tidied up a bit.

[@winco68]

@@fearghal10 Yes again i agree. Having followed the game since the amateur era it seems that the established nations have become very selfish during the era of professional rugby. They want to have their cake and eat it. 6N is the cash cow for pro rugby in Europe but I fear that nations like Georgia, Spain and Portugal that are knocking on the door will wither and die unless they’re allowed a slice of that cake. There has to be an outlet for the top of Tier 2 in Europe. Another idea could be scrapping the U20 6N and integrating those teams into the REC tournament. It would help to increase the competitiveness of the senior Tier 2 squads.

[@antonavilov9408]

I think Georgia is ready for Seven Nations!

[@sevdrhunnvolk4]

Не знай. Португалия на ЧМ была лучше Грузии. Но думаю что Италия легко вынесет и Грузию и Порту. Но было бы интересно 8 наций ).

[@CrossEyedMary1967]

@@sevdrhunnvolk4 Грузия было просто ужас на чемпионате мира. Из за этого сменили вес штаб. За год до чемпионата Грузия победила Португалию +27 очков у которого были все победы на турнире, как детей. Потом домой победил Италию +9 очков. И победил Уэльс в гостях +1 очков. Так что раз они профукали чемпионат мира не значит что Португалия или Италия лучше их, я думаю как раз наоборот.

[@winco68]

No it won’t happen. 6N Rugby is not a meritocracy plus it’s a private tournament and Georgia won’t be invited to join because they wouldn’t be able to bring the requisite amount of finance to the tournament. Other teams would have to financially support them therefore weakening the tournament.

[@977Hendrix]

​@@winco68to enter the 6 Nations a team need to beat all others. Italy did. Georgia didn't is as simple as that

[@winco68]

@@977Hendrix No it isn’t as simple as that. You obviously don’t understand how it operates or the historical and financial integrity that it wishes to preserve.

[@Samizouza]

That's terrible regression from Romania with the off-field issues they're having, not surprised Georgia pumped them.

[@usafya]

Georgia is too good for second tier teams, they need to promoted to six nations

[@Egill2011]

I was there this evening.

[@giorgiabhaz2915]

For Georgia, this tournament is like a training session, participation in it does not give anything, it is better to play training matches with top teams

[@alanmjohnson]

I love what Georgia has done over the past couple of decades, but it is heartbreaking what has become of Romania. I wonder, had rugby administrators been a bit more openminded in the 70s/80s and expanded the Five Nations to include Romania back when they were better than Italy, would Romania have had a very different path? Or would things have gone south after 1989 regardless?

[@joelmonteiro1419]

Romania was a communist country and the 5 nations were and still are very capitalist.

[@merablomidze9129]

It would be great if Romanian rugby gets stronger and becomes a force to be reckoned with. Georgians and Romanians have a great historical rugby relationship, and I, as a Georgian, want to see an equal game. That way it will be more interesting. and >> Davit Niniashvili is super star.

[@winco68]

Interesting question but I think you have to consider that politically Romania was in a very different place in the 70s/80s and would not have been invited to join 5N because they were part of the communist Eastern bloc nations who were anti capitalist. Back then Rugby was an amateur sport but the communist regime in Romania financed Rugby and paid players to be good at it in order to display to Britain and France how strong and powerful they were. Rugby was a political tool. Rugby in Romania collapsed with the government in 1989/90 when the finance dried up. It then became apparent that it had been kept afloat artificially for several decades. Hypothetically speaking had they been invited to join then then they would have been competitive till 1990 and then most likely lost every game since. I have no doubt that post 2000 their record would have been much worse than that of Italy. As an aside i was in Romania last September during RWC and couldn’t find anywhere to watch the games as bars weren’t showing it. Every Romanian I asked about Rugby had no idea RWC was on or that Romania was even in it. It’s all about football the interest in Rugby simply isn’t there.

[@johnqueripel2001]

True. It may seem strange, but the Communist government actually poured resources into Rugby. 40 years ago they ran NZ close.

[@merablomidze9129]

​Rugby, by its very nature, corresponds to the character of the Georgian people (respect, support, fighting spirit). Through the government, with the support of the media, this sport is popularized. As you say, rugby is not popular in Romania. Everything is the opposite here. I am afraid that if the Georgian national team does not play in a stronger championship and the level of the domestic championship is not raised, we will share the fate of Romania. After collapse of soviet union, Georgian rugby saw a light of developement.

[@stewy62]

The Romanian try scorer had no right to score his try, he showed great determination ! Had the remainder of the game been the same the end result would have been much closer 🇬🇧

[@user-fn7sv3sd8u]

🇬🇪💯🇬🇪💯🇬🇪👍✊️💖

[@lucagalanti3880]

Very good Georgia and Portugal. IRB have to change the rules to admit this new teams in the highest level, as well It has been done in 97 for Italy.

[@TopG2005]

Romania 🇷🇴 will end on 4th place unfortunately. I wish better luck but just they don’t seem to be able fight enough. Needs someone to motivate them…😢 Poor guys

[@AC18091988]

🎉

[@typpit7173]

o echipa ce trebuie desfiintata. este crancen si depresiv sa privesti meciurile acestei echipe nationale.

[@leonamirshadyan4328]

LELO❤

[@nicolaetugui527]

Bravo Romania! Felicitari pentru eseu!

[@pavledvalishvili3695]

Acesta este sarcasm???🤔🤨

[@Egill2011]

@@pavledvalishvili3695 Perhaps. Romanians do not deserve disrespect.

[@davidionescu2103]

Nu stiu daca sa plang sau sa rad. Saracii, un eseu dadeau si jucatorii nationalei de popice, nu-i nicio diferenta.

[@Joe07hc]

Is that Ritchie Rees commentating?

[@MrBatti993]

No try at 6:22, the ball it's not in his control!

[@theforknut2415]

does not need to be

[@ivvankuk5284]

Try is good! you do not know the rules of rugby, in such cases it is enough to touch the ball with pressure

[@davidionescu2103]

Voi l-ati vazut pe Conache in minutul 5 dupa primul eseu al georgienilor?! Am crezut ca sparg laptopul... Cum ba, sa repui direct in margine? Ba, l-ati vazut pe Simionescu prin minutul 73-74, s-a debarasat de cativa jucatori adversi ca apoi sa suteze mingea direct in margine... Banane totale, o singura prezenta 22-ul advers in prima repriza. Nu ca slabi, banane... Sa-ti dea Georgia si Portugalia cate 7 eseuri, am ajuns rau de tot. Cu Georgia si Portugalia trebuia sa iei 7 eseuri adunate in 10 meciuri. Anuntati-ma si pe mine cand va apucati de rugby, probabil am sa renunt sa mai urmaresc meciurile Romaniei, nu de alta dar nu exista eveniment sportiv mai deprimant la care sa ma uit decat meciurile nationalei Romaniei de rugby.

[@dww2024]

Impressive by Georgia. But Romania are really poor. What has happened to Romanian rugby?

[@Trajan2401]

Romania never seem to improve and they play dull 9 man rugby most of their tries are rolling mauls they need to chuck the ball around

[@TaigaSibirskaya]

I've seen crash test dummies make better tackles and, they never complain

[@Egill2011]

You mean Russians play better rugby?

[@danielbaciu7335]

Penibil.Jucatori anemici, au jucat ca si cum le era frica de adversari. Tacklinguri de domnisoare ,sfioase ca sa nu si rupa unghiile .Per total o echipa de tractoristi iesita la iarba verde. 😢😢😢😢😢😢

[@veroneadrianradulescu1890]

Jucatorii sunt ultimii vinovati.