The Albany Gazette - Georgia's Niniashvili aims to stay 'crazy' at new club La Rochelle

Energetic runner Niniashvili, 23, joined ex-Ireland fly-half Ronan O'Gara's side during the close-season after four years at French rivals Lyon.

La Rochelle also recruited fleet-footed France scrum-half Nolann Le Garrec this summer, as O'Gara attempts to rejuvenate the ageing 2022 and 2023 Champions Cup winners.

"The coaches have asked me to play my game, to not change, to remain as I am," Niniashvili told AFP.

"A little bit crazy, by keeping my speed, because they said they lacked a little bit of speed last season.

"It's our mission with Nolann," he added.

Niniashvili originally moved to France as a teenager, settling near the Alps in Lyon, where he scored 26 tries in 76 appearances and won the 2022 Challenge Cup.

He moved from France's third most-populated city to La Rochelle, a rugby-mad port of barely 80,000. The club have sold-out their ground, where the capacity has been increased to 18,000 this season, for more than 100 games in a row.

"At Lyon, I went to training on the metro and no-one would recognise me. It's more of a football town," Niniashvili said.

"Here, people come to say hello, they welcome you," he added.

- Idols Dagg, Smith -

Niniashvili made his La Rochelle debut on the wing in last weekend's win over Clermont and will play alongside two other Georgians for the visit to Stade Marcel-Deflandre.

Hooker Nika Sutidze and prop Aleksandre 'Sandro' Kuntelia could also line up for Los Lelos in their November Tests campaign which includes games against Samoa, Canada and Japan.

"With Sandro, we're like twins," Niniashvili joked.

"We've played together for the national team since we were 16.

"This summer they helped me a lot, the showed me around the town with my wife.

"It's an advantage to have Georgians in the team," he added.

Niniashvili has established himself as one of French rugby's most dangerous attackers, playing in a similar style to some of his ex-All Black childhood heroes.

"When I was younger I would watch a lot more Super Rugby, southern hemisphere full-backs like Ben Smith, Israel Dagg," Niniashvili said.

"When I decided to become a professional player, I started to watch the Top 14 on the computer.

"It was my dream to play in France, and right now, I'm living my dream," he added.

Elsewhere this weekend, Clermont will be without suspended ex-Australia lock Rob Simmons when they host Pau.

The four middle games on Saturday, including promoted Montauban's trip to Champions Cup holders Bordeaux-Begles, have been moved back two hours to avoid a clash with France's Women's Rugby World Cup semi-final with England.

Fixtures (times GMT)

Saturday

Clermont v Pau (1230), Castres v Bayonne, Lyon v Stade Francais, Bordeaux-Begles v Montauban, Perpignan v Racing 92 (all 1630), Montpellier v Toulouse (1900)

Sunday

Toulon v La Rochelle (1905)

(F.Jackson--TAG)