1
The 'brilliant bloke' Gloucester verdict on their Georgian gamble
Gloucester boss George Skivington has given his verdict on Giorgi Kveseladze, the unheralded Georgian international that the Gallagher Premiership club took a punt on in December 2020 just weeks after he scored an Autumn Nations Cup try versus Ireland. At the time he was a 23-year-old semi-pro playing for RC Armazi Marneuli. However, that mesmerising solo Test try put him on the radar after it left the legendary Irish midfielder Brian O’Driscoll, a veteran of four successive Lions tours, singing his praises on Twitter.
ADVERTISEMENT
“If I was a European club looking for a centre next year (contract dependent) I’d be having a serious look at Giorgi Kveseladze (13) for Georgia. Besides the excellent try, he really gets the defensive part of his game too. Abrasive and hard working. Could have been MOTM.”
While outside centre Kveseladze wasn’t the man of the match that afternoon, his score was voted the best try of the Autumn Nations Cup and it wasn’t long before Gloucester snapped him up. Sixteen months later he has played on 14 occasions for the English club and is set to make his 15th appearance when starting in Wednesday night’s Premiership Cup semi-final at Kingsholm versus Worcester.
All the while at Gloucester, Kveseladze has kept his international career ticking over, starting against France last November and helping Georgia to qualify for the 2023 World Cup. How then does Gloucester rate his progress? “Giorgi is a quality player,” said Skiviongton when asked by RugbyPass for his assessment of the Georgian’s development since his switch to full-time rugby in England.
“You remember that try he scored against Ireland, it was outstanding. There is obviously a period of getting used to the intensity of the Premiership and the way things are done, but he has been brilliant. He works unbelievably hard, he is working at his game and learning English. He is really working hard to be a part of it and he has got a really bright future.
“There has not been enough rugby probably this year to really break him into the scene and he has been away with Georgia quite a few times throughout the year for games, so the balance hasn’t been exactly where we want it to be with how much we have had our hands on him. But in terms of a rugby player and a bloke, he is a brilliant bloke and I think he has got real scope to be a really talented rugby player.
“What Giorgi does well is he came in very raw, he could almost shoot out of the defensive line and then somehow make a misread and come back it and cover it. That’s really impressive but what we want him to do is use that energy at the right times and be in the systems and that sort of thing.
ADVERTISEMENT
“When he has, he had a great game against Bristol in the Prem Cup last time around. He played twelve, as he is against Worcester, and I thought he was outstanding. I then had a conversation with him about how much he has played at twelve and he said he actually likes playing twelve.
“His progress is gradual. As I say, we would like to have more time with him than we have the last season because he has been over in Georgia a fair few times playing games for them. It takes a little bit of time but I have a lot of faith that he will be a very, very good player.”
Does the potential long-term success of Kveseladze in the game encourage Skivington to go off-road again to recruit similar unknown overseas talents for Gloucester? “I’m very open. Our big focus is on young English players from Gloucester. That is the route that we are going down.
“But guys like Giorgi, if you can find gems from other nations, especially ones in leagues that are not necessarily of Premiership standard, if you can find quality within that that is obviously brilliant. It’s easier said than done but absolutely, I am very open to bringing anyone in who is hungry and wants to learn.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Comments on RugbyPass
I hope WRU cops a 12 month ban.
1 Go to commentsOuch. Pumped. Even Nohamba is a better flyhalf than Ford.
2 Go to commentsI hope Leinster’s proud of themselves fielding a poor team. They should decide if they’re all in or not.
2 Go to commentsJordie is looking at 16 games maximum if Leinster reach both the URC and champions cup finals. Thats not guaranteed. Some of those home URC fixtures will be cakewalks as well for Leinster and there is not much doing during the 6 nations in Feb and March so he can probably get a decent rest then. He will have to really put in it for maybe 7 or 8 games max. It should be a good move for both.
13 Go to commentsThe game was a quarter final, not a semi final. Barrett will be here for 6 months, he is no one's replacement at 13. That mantle will most likely ultimately go to Jamie Osborne, though Garry Ringrose has at least 4 more years in him. The long term problem position (in the next 3 years) for Leinster is tighthead prop, though there are a couple of prospects at schools level.
27 Go to commentsSo much for all that hype surrounding the ‘revival’ of Aussie rugby. The Blues were without the likes of regular starters Perofeta, Sullivan, Christie etc… This was a capitulation of the highest order by Australia’s finest. Joe Schmidt definitely has his work cut out for him.
2 Go to commentsYes they can ignore Sotutu. Like Akira Ioane plays OK at Super level but gets lost in tests. Too many chances too many failures.
2 Go to commentsA wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
13 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
13 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
6 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
26 Go to comments