The Australian public may have taken Rugby World Cup debutants Georgia to their hearts over the last month, but they are not the only ones who have been following the Lelos’ performances closely.
For around two million of Georgia’s five million inhabitants have been glued to television sets watching the Lelos taking on the might of England, South Africa, Samoa and fellow minnows Uruguay in Pool C.
Georgia’s four games have all been televised live on Imedi TV as the former member of the Soviet Union revels in their moment in the spotlight as only their second national team compete in the finals of a major sporting event.
The other was also in rugby union, Georgia’s sevens team writing their name into the history books by qualifying for the IRB Sevens World Cup in Mar del Plata, Argentina, in 2001.
Inundated with support
In the month that the Lelos were in Australia – they bid farewell to their new fans yesterday – the whole squad have, according to Georgia Rugby Union Vice President Zaza Kassachvili, been “inundated with messages of support” from back home.
“Rugby is very popular in Georgia,” Kassachvili told rugbyworldcup.com
“We say Georgia is not rich today, not poor but not rich. We have a lot of pride and one day the public will be rich and one day rugby will be very important in Georgia. It is very important now, but one day it will be automatic like the major nations.
“After the [Uruguay] game some of our supporters phoned me and they all said ‘don’t worry, we see you give your best’.
“It was not enough and before the World Cup I said that Georgia would play every game with 150 percent, be it enough or not.
“Today I can say it was not enough. I understand we need 200 percent.
Rugby World Cup babies
“But all Georgians say today that you gave your best, you are a baby and you need to grow. We are just one month old in the World Cup history … we are newborn babies.”
The concept of Georgia as a newborn baby in the world of rugby union is, for Kassachvili, the perfect way to demonstrate the potential of the Lelos.
“We can say the Georgian baby was born in Australia because in World Cup history whenever we take part in the future the media guides will say 'first participation: Australia 2003',” insisted Kassachvili, a Georgian businessman based in Montpellier, France.
“So today we say Georgian rugby was born with a Georgian father and French mother with godmother Australia and godfather England because our first World Cup game was against England.”
A growing concern
“We know it is a baby now, but the baby can be growing. It just needs the parents to be thinking about the baby and now we need in the next couple of years to be very attentive to this baby.
“If we don't help this baby now it will die. Okay maybe not die, but he will not be strong and not be growing ... I say help us today, support us today and help Georgia grow.”
Kassachvili, who admits the last month has been “like a big dream” and he has had to pinch himself to believe Georgia were playing in the Rugby World Cup, has already turned his attentions to the 2007 Tournament.
“We must be present in every World Cup now. We cannot go back, Georgia must be present. The place of Georgia is in the top 10 nations,” Kassachvili insisted.
“It would be a big catastrophe if Georgia is not in the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France.”