Ospreys sign 120kg Georgian captain

Ospreys Rugby have signed Georgian captain Giorgi Nemsadze on a short-term deal that runs until the end of the season.

He will certainly bring some bulk to the Ospreys pack, he’s 1.96m tall and weighs a sizeable 120kg.

The experienced Nemsadze can play in the second row and at flanker and will provide another option up front for the busy final weeks of the season as the Ospreys chase qualification for next season’s Champions Cup.

Nemsadze’s signing is a welcome boost with Wales international flanker Justin Tipuric away with the Wales Sevens squad at upcoming the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, while Will Jones had surgery last week.

Dan Griffiths, Rugby General Manager at the Ospreys said:

“Giorgi will add to the depth and experience available to the coaches at a crucial time of the season. He is physical and aggressive, as you’d expect with a Georgian forward. His country’s success in recent years has been built around the pack and he has been a key part of that.

“He is captaining an international team that includes a number of players featuring at the top end of the sport and to be able to bring in someone with his quality and leadership attributes at this time of the season is a significant boost.”

First capped by the Lelos in 2005, 33-year-old Nemsadze has 81 caps for Georgia, scoring 13 tries. He was involved in both the 2011 and 2015 Rugby World Cups, while last November he featured at the Principality Stadium as Georgia pushed Wales all the way, the hosts holding on at the death to win 13-6 in the first ever encounter between the two nations.

Nemsadze spent nine years in France, featuring for the likes of Montauban, Agen and Tarbes, and has been with Bristol since the summer of 2016.

He has captained Georgia to European Rugby Championship (also known as Six Nations B) success over the last six weeks, the Lelos defeating Romania in Tblisi on Sunday to seal a seventh title in eight years.

Georgia are currently 12th in the World Rugby rankings ahead of the likes of Canada, Italy, Russia, Samoa, Tonga and USA.