In a thrilling men’s rugby match in Batumi, Georgia, Wing Shalva Aptsiauri’s impressive performance, including three tries, led Georgia to a 38-17 victory over Canada. Despite an early setback where Canada conceded a try, they managed to hold their ground for the first 20 minutes against the physical Georgian team. However, Georgia’s strong defense and dominant scrum allowed them to take a commanding 17-3 lead by halftime.
Although Canada showed promise with two tries in the second half, Georgia continued their momentum with three additional tries after the break. Demur Tapladze, Giorgi Kveseladze, and Tornike Jalagonia also contributed tries for Georgia, with Tedo Abzhandadze successful in four conversions. On the Canadian side, Brock Gallagher and Sion Parry scored tries, while Peter Nelson added a penalty and two conversions.
Both teams secured qualification for the 2027 World Cup in Australia. The match, officiated by New Zealand referee Paul Williams, saw several yellow cards with Georgia receiving three and Canada one. Georgia’s victory marked their third consecutive win against Canada, with the last Canadian win over Georgia dating back to 2015.
The physical nature of the game took its toll, with injuries forcing players off the field on both sides. Georgia’s Dato Abdushelishvili and Ilia Spanderashvili suffered injuries, while Canada’s Jason Higgins did not return for the second half. The Canadian team, now with a 1-7-0 record for the year, will face Portugal in their final game of the November tour.
The match was held at Batumi’s Adjarabet Arena, and Canada faced travel issues due to a cancelled flight, arriving late and affecting their preparation time. Notably, several players made their debut for Canada, including lock Barnaby Waddell and prop Emerson Prior.
Despite a strong start by Canada, Georgia quickly took the lead with Aptsiauri scoring the opening try. Nelson’s penalty narrowed the gap, but Georgia extended their lead with Tapladze and Aptsiauri adding more tries. Despite Canada’s efforts, Georgia maintained control, securing a convincing win.