Mikheil Babunashvili (Georgian: მიხეილ ბაბუნაშვილი; born 31 May 1996) is a Georgian rugby union player who plays as a lock and flanker for Black Lion and RC Aia Kutaisi.
Club career
RC Aia Kutaisi
He began playing at Aia Kutaisi as a kid, where his father Guga Babunashvili, who was also a Georgian International, played.[1] After for playing for Tarbes Pyrénées Espoirs in France, Babunashvili moved back to his home town to play for Aia Kutaisi in the Didi 10.[2][3]
Black Lion
He was named in the initial Black Lion squad for the inaugural Rugby Europe Super Cup.[2] In the following season he was named in the Team of the Pool Phase.[4]
International career
Georgia under-20
He helped Georgia under-20 earn promotion to the 2016 World Rugby U20 Championship, winning the 2015 World Rugby Under 20 Trophy, starting and scoring in the final against Canada.[5][6][7][8]
Georgia
He made his debut against Portugal, starting in a 23–14 win. He was called up to the Georgia squad for the 2023 Rugby World Cup replacing Lasha Jaiani due a knee injury. However Babunashvili never featured in the competition.[9][10][11] In the 2024 Rugby Europe Championship he was nominated for the Player of the Pool Stage.[12]
Honors
Georgia under-20
- World Rugby U20 Trophy
- Champions: (1) 2015
Georgia
RC Aia Kutaisi
Black Lion
References
- ^ მალანია, სოფია (2024-05-29). "#OK! მამისთვის მიძღვნილი ყველა წარმატება - მორაგბე მიხეილ ბაბუნაშვილი". OK Magazine. Retrieved 2024-07-08.
- ^ a b "შავი ლომი 2021-22 | მიმდინარე რაზმი". stat.rugby.ge. Retrieved 2024-07-08.
- ^ "დიდი 10 | აია". stat-rugby-ge.translate.goog. Retrieved 2024-07-08.
- ^ "Team of the Pool Phase: Rugby Europe Super Cup 2022". Rugby Europe. Retrieved 2024-07-08.
- ^ "World Rugby". world.rugby. Retrieved 2024-07-08.
- ^ "World Rugby". world.rugby. Retrieved 2024-07-08.
- ^ "World Rugby". world.rugby. Retrieved 2024-07-08.
- ^ "World Rugby". world.rugby. Retrieved 2024-07-08.
- ^ "Georgia make three more changes to squad | World Rugby". world.rugby. Retrieved 2024-07-08.
- ^ "რაგბი | იძულებითი ცვლილება - ნაკრებში ლაშა ჯაიანის ნაცვლად მიხეილ ბაბუნაშვილი გამოიძახეს". 1TV (in Georgian). Retrieved 2024-07-08.
- ^ "Mikheili Babunashvili (Georgia) | Rugby World Cup 2023". rugbyworldcup.com. Retrieved 2024-07-08.
- ^ "Players of the Pool Phase - REC 24". Rugby Europe. Retrieved 2024-07-08.
External links
- Mikheil Babunashvili at All.Rugby
- Mikheil Babunashvili at ItsRugby.co.uk