Today, Maisashvili is in France leading Georgia at the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Having lost 35-15 against Australia in its Rugby World Cup opener, Georgia hopes to bounce back against Portugal this Saturday, then against Fiji and Wales in its final pool C game. David Mdzinarishvili/ReutersThe Georgian national rugby team was formed in 1964, but was initially subsumed by the Soviet Union rugby federation. Despite making up a tiny portion of the Soviet Union, Georgian players were one of the dominant forces in the larger nation’s rugby team. The nation’s rugby team suffered after gaining independence, leading to serious lack of resources.

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Persons: CNN — “, ” Levan Maisashvili, Maisashvili, Levan Maisashvili, Georgia's, Levan Verdzeuli, Nika Abuladze –, David Mdzinarishvili, ” Tony Collins, Huw Richards ’, Collins, “, Bidzina Ivanishvili, Forbes, ” Maisashvili, ”, Warren Little Organizations: CNN, rugby, Italy, –, Georgian, CNN Sport, ” Rugby, Scotland, Australia, Rugby World, Portugal, Fiji, Humble, Georgian national rugby team, Soviet Union rugby, Soviet Union, Soviet national, Institute of Sports Humanities, Rugby, Reuters, Nations, Northern Hemisphere, Rugby Championship, Southern Hemisphere Locations: South Africa, Wales, France, Georgia, Shukhuti, Soviet, Georgian, “ Georgia, Fiji, Toulouse