# 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 4 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

RC Batumi squad for the 2024–25 Didi 10 season :
| Props Saba Surmanidze Giga Kobakhidze Aleko Shamilishvili Bachuki Chumbadze Knight Doghania Jaba Shatirishvili Murman Jijavadze Luka Putkaradze Hookers Vazha Tagauri Iona Fircxalava Locks Giorgi Mosulishvili Gaga Arabuli Lasha Pofkhadze Nukri Ferselidze | Back-row Giorgi Iremadze Giorgi Shukakidze Giorgi Tkhilaishvili Niko Aptsiauri Vano Putkaradze Scrum-halves Koba Bujiashvili Archil Turmanidze Nika Ninidze Fly-halves Buba Nozadze Luka Matkava Lasha Khamaladze | Centres Beka Urjukashvili Giorgi Tsiklauri Nika Dumbadze Outside Backs Zura Ninidze Sergi Chkhaidze Roma Makhatadze Vazha Mikadze Vitali Iremadze Alexander Todua David Trapaidze |
| Key Senior 15s internationally capped players are listed in bold. * denotes players qualified to play for Georgia on dual nationality or residency grounds. † denotes players dual-registered with Black Lion. |||

### Staff

| Role | Name |
| Manager | Gigi Khocholava |
| Director of Rugby | Gela Kobuladze |
| Head Coach | Irakli Ninidze |
| Assistant Coach | Davit Gugushvili |
| Assistant Coach | Paliko Jimsheladze |
| Physical Trainer | Giorgi Chkhartishvili |
| Video Analysis | Irakli Bezhanidze |
| Team Doctor | Paata Tsintsabadze |
| Physio | Tiko Laitadze |

## Record in European games

As of 15 August 2024
| 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
Rugby World Cup :
| Tournament | Players selected | Georgia players |
| 1987–2011 | 0 | – |
| 2015 | 1 | Giorgi Tkhilaishvili |
| 2019 | 3 | Giorgi Tkhilaishvili, Alexander Todua, Lasha Khmaladze |
| 2023 | 3 | Luka Matkava, Alexander Todua, Lasha Khmaladze |

## Honours

* Didi 10
** Champions: (4) 1998–99, 2001–02, 2018–19, 2021–22
** Runners-up: (6) 1997–98, 2000–01, 2008–09, 2016–17, 2020–21, 2022–23