One of the standout talents of Georgian Rugby’s next generation, Giorgi Gogoladze was born in Tbilisi and first represented his country’s U18 team. So impressive was the imposing utility back, that he earned an Espoir contract with Montpellier Hérault Rugby the following year, before spending a season with Avenir Castanéen in Fédérale 1. Starting in all but one of his games for Castanet, the man who had previously featured at both flyhalf and centre for Georgia U20 was now using his booming left boot at fullback.

Able to contribute as a place kicker when needed, Giorgi’s also has an instinct for joining the backline with perfect timing, so often resulting in a line break. A stint with the Georgian Sevens team showed that his size was also supplemented with raw pace, and since signing with Aurillac, Giorgi has also shown his worth as a starting winger in the Pro D2. With box kicking becoming such an integral part of modern rugby, Gogoladze’s ease under the high ball adds tremendous value to any team he plays in.