In an article in the Scotsman last weekend by Iain Morrison contained some worrying comments by the FIRA (the organisation that organises tier 2 European Rugby) director Gilles Bizot. The article started off by explaining the growth of rugby in Georgia but here is an extract from the interview with Bizot.
This is ridiculous attitude by Bizot who is wrong and the director of FIRA thinking as non progressively as that is worrying for Georgia's deserved bid to join the 6 Nations in the near future.
Firstly he says that "Georgian rugby is not nearly as strong as Italian rugby".
Whilst he is entitled to his opinion, Georgia has proved they are as strong as Italy and in fact are at a similar level. Both teams have big fearsome forwards pack, but less strength in the backs.
Without home advantage Italy had worse matches against Scotland and England last year than Georgia's against the same opposition at the World Cup. Scotland comfortably defeated Italy at home in the 2011 6 Nations, and yes Italy won this year's match at home. But the narrow margin and tightness of the match between Georgia and Scotland at the World Cup that Georgia could overcome the difference if given home advantage as well.
There is no area on the pitch where Italy easily has better players than Georgia, in fact the Lelos now have more depth and top players in their front row than the Azzurri.
It depends on opinion whether Georgia are as good are only a bit worse than Italy, but there is no way that Georgia aren't "nearly as strong" as Italy. There is small differences between the two, it is likely that if Georgia were introduced into the 6 Nations then the home team would win the matches between the two much like what has happened in matches between Italy and Scotland these last few years.
Bizot's second remark is "in a one-off game the Georgians might beat Italy or Scotland but there is a huge gap between the two nations".
This is a really poor attitude by Bizot. Think about it, Italy might beat France in a one-off match like they did in 2011 but normally throughout the 6 Nations France have been comfortable winners. By Bizot's logic Italy and Scotland who just win one-offs but normally lose in the 6 Nations are not good enough either then.
This is no reason to exclude Georgia from the 6 Nations, also in rugby if a team can beat a team in a one off match it likely means there is not a "huge gap between the two nations".
And compare this Georgia side to the Italy side that was introduced to the 6 Nations in 2000, that Italian side was regularly thumped and notably conceded 80 points against England in 2001. Georgia are much better than that Italy side in the early 2000's, they would not concede 50 points to any of the 6 Nations teams, and if introduced they would improve and get losing margins closer much like Italy have done over the years.
Also look at the difference between Georgia and Italy, and then compare that to the difference between Georgia and some of the teams in the European Nations Cup, Georgia have been so dominant in the league the last few years that they have played a B team half of the time. Georgia are a lot closer to Italy than the opposition are to Georgia in the European Nations Cup.
Unfortunately this means that Bizot thinks that Georgia have to beat the top 6 Nations sides on more than one occasion to be considered as an addition. Something which is very hard to do when the Tier 1 clique continually ignores playing matches with Georgia. Despite Georgia's impressive performance in the 2007 World Cup, Georgia didn't get one match against Tier 1 opposition over the next four years until the next World Cup.
Bizot's third and final point is "It is a matter for the Six Nations, which is a closed competition, not for FIRA. Georgia could one day play in the Six Nations but not at the moment. There are no discussions along those lines."
So, would he like to see the concept of promotion/relegation extended to the Six Nations itself or, like King Louis in The Jungle Book, have Georgia reached the top and have to stop?
“No,” is the simple reply from Bizot. “Georgian rugby is not nearly as strong as Italian rugby. In a one-off game the Georgians might beat Italy or Scotland but there is a huge gap between the two nations,” he adds.
“Anyway, it is a matter for the Six Nations, which is a closed competition, not for FIRA. Georgia could one day play in the Six Nations but not at the moment. There are no discussions along those lines.”
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| FIRA Director Gilles Bizot (above) has shown a poor attitude about the possibility of Georgia in the near future being added to the 6 Nations |
Firstly he says that "Georgian rugby is not nearly as strong as Italian rugby".
Whilst he is entitled to his opinion, Georgia has proved they are as strong as Italy and in fact are at a similar level. Both teams have big fearsome forwards pack, but less strength in the backs.
Without home advantage Italy had worse matches against Scotland and England last year than Georgia's against the same opposition at the World Cup. Scotland comfortably defeated Italy at home in the 2011 6 Nations, and yes Italy won this year's match at home. But the narrow margin and tightness of the match between Georgia and Scotland at the World Cup that Georgia could overcome the difference if given home advantage as well.
There is no area on the pitch where Italy easily has better players than Georgia, in fact the Lelos now have more depth and top players in their front row than the Azzurri.
It depends on opinion whether Georgia are as good are only a bit worse than Italy, but there is no way that Georgia aren't "nearly as strong" as Italy. There is small differences between the two, it is likely that if Georgia were introduced into the 6 Nations then the home team would win the matches between the two much like what has happened in matches between Italy and Scotland these last few years.
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| With home advantage such as seen here against Russia, Georgia who have dominated the second tier of European rugby over the past five years should be able to beat at home both Italy and Scotland |
Bizot's second remark is "in a one-off game the Georgians might beat Italy or Scotland but there is a huge gap between the two nations".
This is a really poor attitude by Bizot. Think about it, Italy might beat France in a one-off match like they did in 2011 but normally throughout the 6 Nations France have been comfortable winners. By Bizot's logic Italy and Scotland who just win one-offs but normally lose in the 6 Nations are not good enough either then.
This is no reason to exclude Georgia from the 6 Nations, also in rugby if a team can beat a team in a one off match it likely means there is not a "huge gap between the two nations".
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| When Italy were added to the 6 Nations in 2000, they suffered some heavy defeats including 80 points conceded in 2001 to England (above), Georgia are above the level Italy were when they were added in 2000 |
Also look at the difference between Georgia and Italy, and then compare that to the difference between Georgia and some of the teams in the European Nations Cup, Georgia have been so dominant in the league the last few years that they have played a B team half of the time. Georgia are a lot closer to Italy than the opposition are to Georgia in the European Nations Cup.
Unfortunately this means that Bizot thinks that Georgia have to beat the top 6 Nations sides on more than one occasion to be considered as an addition. Something which is very hard to do when the Tier 1 clique continually ignores playing matches with Georgia. Despite Georgia's impressive performance in the 2007 World Cup, Georgia didn't get one match against Tier 1 opposition over the next four years until the next World Cup.
Bizot's third and final point is "It is a matter for the Six Nations, which is a closed competition, not for FIRA. Georgia could one day play in the Six Nations but not at the moment. There are no discussions along those lines."
Whilst he is right that it is a matter for the 6 Nations, FIRA should be championing Georgia to be added to the 6 Nations, and be pushing really hard for discussions. It is really disappointing to hear that there have been no discussions for Georgia to be added and doesn't seem to be any chance of them soon.
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