Luka Matkava
Full nameLuka Matkava
Date of birth (2001-05-10) 10 May 2001
Place of birthTbilisi, Georgia
Height1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight85 kg (187 lb; 13 st 5 lb)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Scrum-half, Fly-half
Current team Georgia (country) The Black Lion
Youth career
20??-2018 Georgia (country) RC Armazi
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2018–2020 Georgia (country) RC Armazi 6 (49)
2021– Georgia (country) The Black Lion 31 (229)
Correct as of 22 December 2023
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2019 Georgia (country) Georgia under-18 3 (15)
2022– Georgia (country) Georgia 14 (84)
Correct as of 10 December 2023

Luka Matkava (Georgian: ლუკა მატკავა; born 10 may 2001) is a Georgian professional rugby union player who plays as a fly-half for Super Cup club The Black Lion and the Georgia national team.[1]

Club career

Club

RC Armazi

Matkava began his career at RC Armazi[2] in the Georgian Didi 10,[3] scoring 7 tries in 6 appearances.[4]

Black Lion

In 2021 he was named in the initial Black Lion squad for the inaugural Rugby Europe Super Cup season.[5] Making his debut off the bench against Tel Aviv Heat in the second round.

He became a pivotal cog in the Georgian franchise featuring in all of the Black Lions matches for the 2022 season, including starting in the final against Tel Aviv Heat.[6][7]

He started in Black Lions' EPCR Challenge Cup debut against Gloucester, scoring all of the Georgian franchises points in the 10-15 loss in Tbilisi, including scoring the only try of the game in the 20th minute.[8] He started again the week after against Scarlets, scoring 13 points off the tee to help lead Black Lion secure their first ever EPCR Challange Cup win "humiliating" the Llanelli based side.[9][10]

He started in Black Lions third Rugby Europe Super Cup final, scoring 2 penalties and 3 conversions not missing a kick of the tee.[11]

International Career

Under-18

Matkava was pivotal in Georgia's 2019 Rugby Europe Under-18 Championship campaign. Starting at scrum-half in all three of their matches, scoring in their 64-10 over host country Russia.[12][13][14]

Senior

Matkava was named in the 35-man squad for the Autumn internationals,[15] making his international debut coming off the bench against Uruguay in the 2022 Autumn internationals.[16] He again came off the bench in the Georgian's historic victory against Wales, he slotted the winning penalty in the 77th minute to seal the victory.[17][18]

He appeared in all of Georgia's matches in the 2023 Rugby Europe Championship, where in which Georgia went unbeaten, winning the competition for the 15th time. He started only once, his first international start, in the round one victory over Germany where in which he went onto to win Player of the Match.[19][20]

He was named in the Georgian squad for the 2023 Rugby World Cup Warmups,[21] where he featured in another historic win for Georgia starting at fly-half in a historic win over Romania. Matkava scoring 5 conversions, 1 penalty and a try in the largest ever win for Georgia over Romania.[22][23]

He made his Rugby World Cup debut starting in a 35-15 loss to Australia where he was considered the best performer of the Georgia players.[24] He featured in all of Georgia's matches, starting in all but the draw against Portugal. Georgia came 4th in Pool C, unable to win a match.

Statistics

International Tries

Try Opposing team Location Venue Competition Date Result Score
1[25]  Germany Tbilisi, Georgia Avchala Stadium 2023 Rugby Europe Championship February 5, 2023 Victory 72-12
2[26]  Romania Tbilisi, Georgia Mikheil Meskhi Stadium 2023 Rugby World Cup Warmups August 12, 2023 Victory 56-6

Honours

Georgia Under-18

Georgia

Black Lion

References

  1. ↑ "Luka MATKAVA - Player statistics - It's rugby". www.itsrugby.co.uk. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
  2. ↑ "Rugby Union: Armazi Tbilisi results - Flashscore.co.uk". www.flashscore.co.uk. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
  3. ↑ "Luka MATKAVA 9/10 CSPORT". Calanda Sports (in French). Retrieved 9 February 2023.
  4. ↑ "რაგბის კავშირის სტატისტიკის სამსახური". stat-rugby-ge.translate.goog. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
  5. ↑ "Squads of 36 announced ahead of Super Cup openers". Rugby Europe. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
  6. ↑ "Rugby Europe Super Cup". Rugby Europe. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  7. ↑ "RESC Gamesheet BLACK LION VS TEL-AVIV HEAT" (PDF). Rugby Europe. 17 December 2022. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  8. ↑ "Gloucester avoid European upset at Black Lion". BBC Sport. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
  9. ↑ "Scarlets humiliated in shock defeat by Black Lion". BBC Sport. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  10. ↑ "The Georgians win again in Wales as Black Lion beat Scarlets - Welsh Rugby Union". Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  11. ↑ "Final : Black Lion v Tel Aviv Heat". Rugby Europe. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  12. ↑ "Georgia v Spain U18". Rugby Europe. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  13. ↑ "Georgia v Russia U18". Rugby Europe. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  14. ↑ "Georgia v Germany U18". Rugby Europe. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  15. ↑ Ujmajuridze, Alexandre (4 November 2020). "Three to wait for a Chance to Shine". Georgia Rugby Union. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  16. ↑ "Luka MATKAVA profile and stats". all.rugby. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
  17. ↑ World, Rugby (8 February 2023). "Rugby Europe Championship 2023 –The best moments of Round One". Rugby World. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
  18. ↑ ""I thought I was in a dream" - Matkava on his big kick for Georgia". Rugby Europe. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
  19. ↑ "Georgia v Germany". Rugby Europe. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  20. ↑ @GeorgianRugby (5 February 2023). "Luka Matkava becomes @rugby_europe Champs 2023 Player Of The Match" (Tweet). Retrieved 13 August 2023 – via Twitter.
  21. ↑ Qsovreli, Zura (18 June 2023). "ბორჯღალოსნები | მსოფლიოსთვის მზადება დაიწყო". Georgia Rugby Union (in Georgian). Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  22. ↑ "International Match (Sky Sports)". SkySports. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  23. ↑ "Naţionala României de rugby a suferit cea mai drastică înfrângere din istoria întâlnirilor cu Georgia! Stejarii au înregistrat încă o înfrângere înainte de Cupa Mondială". Orangesport (in Romanian). 12 August 2023. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  24. ↑ Skippers, David (9 September 2023). "Georgia player ratings: Luka Matkava catches the eye in loss to Wallabies". PlanetRugby. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  25. ↑ worldrugby.org. "World Rugby". www.world.rugby. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
  26. ↑ "International Match (Sky Sports)". SkySports. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
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