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After botched transfer Luka Matkava now has a Top 14 club


Luka Matkava of Georgia points during the rugby international test between Georgia and Tonga at Mikheil Meskhi Stadium on November 24, 2024 in Tbilisi, Georgia. (Photo by Levan Verdzeuli/Getty Images)
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After a failed transfer to France last July, Georgian fly-half Luka Matkava is now set for his first taste of Top 14 action by joining Castres as a medical joker.

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The 23-year-old will replace utility back Pierre Popelin, who is ruled out for the rest of the season through serious injury, according to French outlet L’Équipe.

Castres head coach Xavier Sadourny called on the board to bolster the squad ahead of the league’s final six rounds, with his team well placed to reach the playoffs.

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Andy Farrell and his British and Irish Lions coaching team take questions from Alex Payne ahead of their 2025 tour of Australia.

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British & Irish Lions coaching team press conference

Andy Farrell and his British and Irish Lions coaching team take questions from Alex Payne ahead of their 2025 tour of Australia.

With Popelin sidelined, Castres have only Louis Le Brun and Julien Dumora covering the No.10 shirt. Le Brun has been first choice, but the promising playmaker needs a breather before the knockout stages. Dumora, 37, began the season as a reserve but has stepped up in Popelin’s absence.

Matkava has caught the eye since 2021, playing a vital part in Georgia’s shock win over Wales at the Millennium Stadium in 2022. His handling and kicking prowess earned him a call to the 2023 Rugby World Cup, where he started three of Georgia’s four games.

Having helped Georgia claim three Men’s Rugby Europe Championship titles, amassing 190 points in 27 caps, Matkava saw his initial move to Montpellier cancelled weeks into the season. Now, Castres marks his first experience abroad.

RugbyPass understands that if his loan spell goes well, the deal could extend by another season. Matkava’s non-JIFF status has historically been a stumbling block to joining a Top 14 outfit, but he now has a chance to prove himself in one of the world’s most competitive leagues.

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EvilMockingJay 2 hours ago
Antoine Dupont missing for now as Galthie names 33-man France squad

Oh but we want that Cup too ! But SA and NZ don't want to play fair with us xD France is a strong team but not enough to win a final, a semi or a quarter at 16 against 15 xD

Like in 2023, there was 27 (!!!) “mistakes” from BOK against us. Fallen for 1 point. Can't say we would have won against England (who were robbed too, and fallen for 1 point too) and NZ after but I personally believe so. England was pretty weak, getting beated again and again by France and we humilated the Blacks during the opening match. Again 2011 and also 1995… it’s normal not to win every time, after all we are not the only team that play to win. But being robbed every time you have a real chance (or just you were winning no question ask without a ref who suddently stop following the rules of rugby) is harsh. There is voices in France that are starting to say “screw this corrupt World Rugby and screw this RWC, let’s just play our Top14, after all we will never win a World Cup because it is rigged to let a SH team win”. And when you see how it goes (terrible ref being promoted to a RWC final, change in the rules when we are specialists about it, that stupid 20’ red card that encourage brutality from players and partiality from ref and always for or against the same team, forward pass not seen when it’s the other team doing them, same with offsides…) what can you say to these people ? I keep the faith one day we will get that WC, but after 2023, at home, it’s hard to say to these people “no you are wrong”. Like France (one country among a lot of other countries) were robbed 3 times. That’s a lot for ONE country and one competition taking place only every 4 years. And we ain't the only ones robbed. Always by the same teams : RSA or NZ.



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