Georgia head coach Levan Maisashvili has made five changes to his starting side to face Wales at Stade de la Beaujoire in Nantes on Saturday, 7 October. Guram Gogichashvili and Shalva Mamukashvili return to the front row, Nodar Cheishvili comes into the second row while captain Merab Sharikadze returns at centre and full-back Lasha Khmaladze makes his first appearance at Rugby World Cup 2023.

1 Guram Gogichashvili
2 Shalva Mamukashvili
3 Beka Gigashvili
4 Nodar Cheishvili
5 Konstantine Mikautadze
6 Mikheil Gachechiladze
7 Beka Saginadze
8 Tornike Jalagonia
9 Vasil Lobzhanidze
10 Luka Matkava
11 Davit Niniashvili
12 Merab Sharikadze (c)
13 Giorgi Kveseladze
14 Akaki Tabutsadze
15 Lasha Khmaladze

Replacements:
16 Vano Karkadze
17 Nika Abuladze
18 Irakli Aptsiauri
19 Vladimer Chachanidze
20 Giorgi Tsutskiridze
21 Gela Aprasidze
22 Tedo Abzhandadze
23 Demur Tapladze

  • Head coach Levan Maisashvili has made five personnel changes to his starting XV from their 17-12 loss against Fiji, with three in the forward pack, and two in the backline.
  • Guram Gogichashvili and Shalva Mamukashvili both return to the front row to pack down alongside Beka Gigashvili.
  • Nodar Cheishvili partners Konstantine Mikautadze in the second row for the first time since their opening game against Australia, after earning his past two caps as a replacement.
  • Captain and centre Merab Sharikadze returns to the run-on team to win his 99th test cap.
  • Full-back Lasha Khmaladze will make his first appearance at RWC 2023 after playing three matches at RWC 2011 and four at RWC 2019.
  • There are 15 survivors in the match-day 23 from their 13-12 victory in Cardiff last year, including 11 in the starting XV. Fly-half Luka Matkava played just seven minutes off the bench in that game, but kicked the winning penalty from 45 metres.
  • Number eight Tornike Jalagonia has not missed a tackle at RWC 2023, completing all 48 attempts. Only Italy’s Lorenzo Cannone (33) and Japan’s Kazuki Himeno (31) have also made 30 or more tackles without missing one.
  • Georgia have four different try-scorers so far at RWC 2023 in Beka Gigashvili, Tengizi Zamtaradze, Luka Ivanishvili and Akaki Tabutsadze. No Georgian has ever scored more than two tries at a single Rugby World Cup tournament.