Nikoloz Sutidze
| Full name | Nikoloz Sutidze | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | 1 September 2003 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 180 cm (5 ft 11 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 104 kg (229 lb; 16 st 5 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Nikoloz (Nika) Sutidze (Georgian: ნიკოლოზ სუთიძე, born 1 September 2003) is a Georgian rugby union player who plays for French Top 14 club Stade Rochelais and the Georgian national team as a hooker.
Previously a member of the national youth teams, he is the winner of the 2021 U18 European Championship.
Club career
[edit]Sutidze started playing rugby from the age of five at local club Lelo in Tbilisi. A third row initially, he switched to the hooker position after arrival at French top-league side Stade Rochelais in 2021. Sutidze made his professional debut as a substitute in a 43–22 win over Lyon on 5 October 2024 and took part in nine league games of his first season.[1] He scored a try against the same opponents in his fourth appearance for the club in February next year.[2]
His current contract with the club is due to expire in 2028.[3]
International career
[edit]Although aged 17, Sutidze was considered prolific enough to be selected to the U20 team for an international tournament held in South Africa in the summer of 2021.[4] He featured in all four games and helped the team with a try against Italy.[5]
Two months later, he joined the U18 team represented at the European Championship.[6] He was in the starting line-up for his team which won the tournament after a 27–0 win over Belgium and secured a third consecutive cup.[7]
In 2022, Sutidze was called up again to the U20s taking part in six nations Summer Series hosted by Italy.[8]
Sutidze drew interest from the national team coach Richard Cockerill who included him in the squad for a European Cup semifinal clash against Romania in March 2024.[9] He made first appearance for the team in a friendly game against Japan on 22 November 2025.[10]
Honours
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ "აფრასიძის 50-ე, სუთიძის – პირველი" [Aprasidze playing his 50th game while Sutidze his first match]. sarbieli.com (in Georgian). 7 October 2024. Retrieved 8 March 2026.
- ↑ "Lyon v La Rochelle match report". all.rugby. 15 February 2025. Retrieved 8 March 2026.
- ↑ "Sutidze, Kuntelia and Penverne committed until 2028!". Stade Rochelais. 29 August 2025. Retrieved 8 March 2026.
- ↑ "სამხრეთაფრიკული ტურნესთვის 30 მორაგბე შეირჩა" [Thirty players selected for South African tournament] (in Georgian). lelo.ge. 15 June 2021.
- ↑ "Italy v Georgia match report". all.rugby. 25 June 2022. Retrieved 8 March 2026.
- ↑ "ხუთი ცვლილება ბელგიასთან მატჩისთვის" [Five substitutions for upcoming fixture against Belgium]. Lelo (in Georgian). 5 October 2021.
- ↑ "Portugal v Georgia match report". rugbyeurope.eu. 9 October 2021. Retrieved 8 March 2026.
- ↑ "უმცროსი ბორჯღალოსნები U20 ექვსი ერის ზაფხულის სერიაზე გაემგზავრნენ" [Georgia U20 heads for Six Nations Summer Series]. rugby.ge (in Georgian). 17 June 2022.
- ↑ "საქართველოს ნაკრებს რუმინეთთან მატჩამდე 4 მორაგბე დაემატა" [Four players added to the national team]. worldsport.ge (in Georgian). 23 February 2026. Retrieved 8 March 2026.
- ↑ "დაუმსახურებელი შედეგით "მიხეილ მესხზე"" [Georgia suffers an undeserved defeat at Mikheil Meskhi]. rugby.ge (in Georgian). 22 November 2025. Retrieved 8 March 2026.
External links
[edit]- 2003 births
- Living people
- Rugby union players from Georgia (country)
- Rugby union hookers
- Rugby union players from Tbilisi
- Lelo Saracens players
- Stade Rochelais players
- Expatriate rugby union players from Georgia (country) in France
- Georgia (country) international rugby union players
- 21st-century sportsmen from Georgia (country)
