Mikheil Babunashvili
Georgian rugby union player
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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.
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| Born | 31 May 1996 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Height | 195 cm (6 ft 5 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 115 kg (254 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notable relative | Guga Babunashvili (father) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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