The Albany Gazette - Six Nations 'door still shut' for Maisashvili's Georgia despite Italy win

Fly-half Tedo Abzhandadze, 22, scored 20 points as The Lelos beat a country from rugby's traditional Tier One for the first time.

Georgia are ranked 13th in the world with the Azzurri, who were invited into the annual competition alongside England, France, Ireland, Scotland and Wales in 2000, are 12th.

Their claims for a place at the international top table has come as they have won the second-tier Rugby Europe Championship, which offers no promotion to the Six Nations, 11 of the last 12 times.

"I don't think today's result will change much in terms of if Georgia should maybe join the Six Nations," Maisashvili told reporters.

"I absolutely don't think they are going to open the door on the back of one result," he added.

In this year's Six Nations, Italy beat Wales for their first victory in the tournament since 2015.

"Georgia were really physical, they put us under a lot of aerial pressure, they really deserved the win," Azzurri captain Michele Lamaro told RugbyTV Georgia.

"On our side, we could have done a lot more," the flanker added.

Next week, Georgia host Portugal in their season-ending Test while Italy next play in November against Samoa.

At the 2023 Rugby World Cup, Georgia play the likes of two-time champions Australia and Wales in Pool C while Italy face sides such as hosts France and three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.

(G.Gruner--BBZ)