RC Batumi
Rugby Club Batumi LLC is a Georgian professional rugby union club from Batumi, who plays in the Didi 10, the first division of Georgian rugby. They have won the competition a total of 5 times.
History
Didi 10
They have won the top flight competition in Georgia 4 times over its history, the first coming in 1998–99, beating then reigning champions RC Kochebi Bolnisi. Their next title came in 2002, in an all Batumi final with the 1st team going up against the 2nd team, the 1st XV were victorious 27–10.European Rugby Continental Shield
Batumi were invited to the 2017–18 European Rugby Continental Shield, they were seeded in Pool B with Italian sides Calvisano and Petrarca, as well as Portuguese side CDUL. With 2 wins and 2 losses Batumi finished second in their group advancing to the Pool play offs, being beaten by the Timișoara Saracens 32–18 over two matches.Rugby Europe Super Cup
After winning the Didi 10 in the 2021–22 season, RC Batumi were invited to the 2022 [Rugby Europe Super Cup] to replace the two Russian sides after Enisei-STM and Lokomotiv Penza were suspended form the tournament.Their first match was a Georgian derby against the reigning champions Black Lion, Batumi falling to a 29–3 loss. Their first win came on the 24 September against that years runners-up, beating Israeli side Tel Aviv Heat 19–11. They finished 3rd in the Eastern Conference missing out on qualification for the semifinals. They did not go on to feature in the 2023 edition of the competition.
Current squad
Players
Props
- Saba Surmanidze
- Giga Kobakhidze
- Aleko Shamilishvili
- Iona Pirtskhalava
- Rezo Margalitadze
- Raindi Doghania
- Luka Putkaradze
Hookers
- Vazha Tagauri
- Tornike Gabelaia
Locks
- Giga Julukhadze
- Gaga Arabuli
- Lasha Pofkhadze
- Nukri Ferselidze
- Giorgi Sharvashidze
Back-row
- Giorgi Iremadze
- Giorgi ShukakidzeGiorgi Tkhilaishvili
- Vano Putkaradze
Scrum-halves
- Giorgi Margalitadze
- Archil Turmanidze
Fly-halves
- Buba Nozadze
- '''Rezi Djintchvelashvili'''
Centres
- Kavekini Tabu
- Giorgi Tsiklauri
- Otar Metreveli
- Nika Dumbadze
Outside Backs
- Zura Ninidze
- Peter Williams
- Roma Makhatadze
- Vazha MikadzeAlexander Todua
- David Trapaidze
- Senior 15s internationally capped players are listed in bold.
- * denotes players qualified to play for Georgia national [rugby union team|Georgia] on dual nationality or residency grounds.
- † denotes players dual-registered with Black Lion.
Record in European games
| Opponent | Competition | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD |
| Black Lion | Rugby Europe Super Cup | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 66 | +63 |
| Heidelberger RK | European Rugby Continental Shield | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 16 | +17 |
| Romanian Wolves | Rugby Europe Super Cup | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 40 | 33 | +7 |
| Rugby Rovigo Delta | European Rugby Continental Shield | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 27 | 31 | -4 |
| Tel Aviv Heat | Rugby Europe Super Cup | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 27 | 36 | -9 |
| Timișoara Saracens | European Rugby Continental Shield | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 38 | 49 | -11 |
| Rugby Viadana | European Rugby Continental Shield | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 31 | 27 | -4 |
Notable players
Internationals
- Giorgi Tkhilaishvili
- Alexander Todua
- Lasha Khmaladze
- Luka Matkava
- Anzor Sitchinava
- Saba Shubitidze
- Niko Aptsiauri
| Tournament | Players selected | players |
| 1987–2011 | 0 | – |
| 2015 [Rugby World Cup|2015] | 1 | Giorgi Tkhilaishvili |
| 2019 | 3 | Giorgi Tkhilaishvili, Alexander Todua, Lasha Khmaladze |
| 2023 | 3 | Luka Matkava, Alexander Todua, Lasha Khmaladze |
Honours
- Didi 10
- * Champions: 1998–99, 2001–02, 2018–19, 2021–22
- * ''Runners-up: 1997–98, 2000–01, 2008–09, 2016–17, 2020–21, 2022–23''