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Luka Matkava

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Luka Matkava
Full nameLuka Matkava
Date of birth (2001-05-10) 10 May 2001 (age 23)
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 Montpellier
Youth career
20??-2019 RC Armazi
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2019-2021 RC Armazi 25 (61)
2021- Black Lion 34 (247)
2021-2022 RC Junkers 6 (37)
2022-2023 Khvamli Tbilisi 1 (0)
2023-2024 RC Batumi 0 (0)
2019- Total 66 (345)
Correct as of 20 July 2024
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2019 Georgia under-18 3 (15)
2022– Georgia 22 (145)
Correct as of 20 July 2024

Luka Matkava (Georgian: ლუკა მატკავა; born 10 May 2001) is a Georgian professional rugby union player who plays as a fly-half for Top 14 club Montpellier.[1]

Club career

RC Armazi

Matkava began his career at RC Armazi[2] in the Georgian Didi 10,[3] scoring 62 points in 25 appearances.[4][5] After Armazi were relegated in the 2020–21 season he joined Black Lion and RC Junkers.

Black Lion

In 2021 he was named in the initial Black Lion squad for the inaugural Rugby Europe Super Cup season.[6] 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.[7][8] 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.[9] He started again the week after against Scarlets, scoring 13 points off the tee to help lead Black Lion secure their first ever EPCR Challenge Cup win "humiliating" the Llanelli based side.[10][11] He started in Black Lions third Rugby Europe Super Cup final, scoring 2 penalties and 3 conversions not missing a kick of the tee.[12]

RC Junkers

He joined RC Junkers in the Didi 10.[13] He made his debut in the 7th round in a 35–29 win over Ares Kutaisi, scoring 15 points in the Junkers 2nd win of the season.[14] In total he made 6 appearances scoring 37 points,[15][16][17][18][19] however it was not enough as they were relegated to the Georgian First League.[20]

Khvamli Tbilisi

In 2022 he joined Khvamli Tbilisi in the Didi 10, he featured once for the side coming off the bench in the final round of the season, beating RC Aia Kutaisi 18–17.[21]

RC Batumi

He was named in the RC Batumi squad for the 2023–24 Didi 10 season however he did not feature.[22]

Montpellier Hérault Rugby

In July 2023 he was announced to be joining Top 14 side Montpellier for two seasons.[23][24]

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.[25][26][27]

Senior

2022

Matkava was named in the 35-man squad for the Autumn internationals,[28] making his international debut coming off the bench against Uruguay in the 2022 Autumn internationals.[29] He again came off the bench in Georgia's historic victory against Wales, he slotted the winning penalty in the 77th minute to seal the victory.[30][31]

2023

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.[32][33] He was named in the Georgian squad for the 2023 Rugby World Cup Warmups,[34] 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.[35][36] 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.[37] 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.

2024

Matkava started at fly-half in all of Georgia's matches in the 2024 Rugby Europe Championship including the final where he scored 16 points in a 36–10 win over Portugal. He made his first international start at full back in the 2024 mid-year rugby union tests against Fiji in Batumi, He scored all of Georgia's points in the 12–21 loss. The following week on the 13 July Matkava started in Georgia's 3rd ever win over a Tier 1 nation, scoring 10 points in a famous 23–25 victory over Japan.[38]

Statistics

International tries

Try Opposing team Location Venue Competition Date Result Score
1[39]  Germany Tbilisi, Georgia Avchala Stadium 2023 Rugby Europe Championship February 5, 2023 Victory 72–12
2[40]  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. ^ "რაგბის კავშირის სტატისტიკის სამსახური". stat-rugby-ge.translate.goog. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  6. ^ "Squads of 36 announced ahead of Super Cup openers". Rugby Europe. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
  7. ^ "Rugby Europe Super Cup". Rugby Europe. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  8. ^ "RESC Gamesheet BLACK LION VS TEL-AVIV HEAT" (PDF). Rugby Europe. 17 December 2022. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  9. ^ "Gloucester avoid European upset at Black Lion". BBC Sport. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
  10. ^ "Scarlets humiliated in shock defeat by Black Lion". BBC Sport. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  11. ^ "The Georgians win again in Wales as Black Lion beat Scarlets - Welsh Rugby Union". Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  12. ^ "Final : Black Lion v Tel Aviv Heat". Rugby Europe. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  13. ^ "BLACK LION 2021-22 | Currie Cup". 2 March 2024. Archived from the original on 2 March 2024. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  14. ^ "იუნკერები 35–29 არესი" (PDF). Georgia Rugby. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  15. ^ "ლელო 36–7 იუნკერები" (PDF). Georgia Rugby. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  16. ^ "იუნკერები 20–27 ყაზბეგი" (PDF). Georgia Rugby. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  17. ^ "აია 17–3 იუნკერები" (PDF). Georgia Rugby. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  18. ^ "ყოჩები 47–3 იუნკერები" (PDF). Georgia Rugby. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  19. ^ "იუნკერები 13–40 ლელო" (PDF). Georgia Rugby. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  20. ^ "2021-22 | დიდი 10". stat-rugby-ge.translate.goog. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  21. ^ "აია 17–18 ხვამლი" (PDF). Georgia Rugby. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  22. ^ "დიდი 10 | ბათუმი". stat-rugby-ge.translate.goog. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  23. ^ "Luka Matkava set to be Montpellier's latest recruitment". amp.rugbypass.com. 14 July 2024. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  24. ^ "Luka Matkava set to be Montpellier's latest recruitment". www.rugby-addict.com. 15 July 2024. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  25. ^ "Georgia v Spain U18". Rugby Europe. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  26. ^ "Georgia v Russia U18". Rugby Europe. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  27. ^ "Georgia v Germany U18". Rugby Europe. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  28. ^ Ujmajuridze, Alexandre (4 November 2020). "Three to wait for a Chance to Shine". Georgia Rugby Union. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  29. ^ "Luka MATKAVA profile and stats". all.rugby. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
  30. ^ World, Rugby (8 February 2023). "Rugby Europe Championship 2023 –The best moments of Round One". Rugby World. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
  31. ^ ""I thought I was in a dream" - Matkava on his big kick for Georgia". Rugby Europe. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
  32. ^ "Georgia v Germany". Rugby Europe. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  33. ^ @GeorgianRugby (5 February 2023). "Luka Matkava becomes @rugby_europe Champs 2023 Player Of The Match" (Tweet). Retrieved 13 August 2023 – via Twitter.
  34. ^ Qsovreli, Zura (18 June 2023). "ბორჯღალოსნები | მსოფლიოსთვის მზადება დაიწყო". Georgia Rugby Union (in Georgian). Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  35. ^ "International Match (Sky Sports)". SkySports. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  36. ^ "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.
  37. ^ Skippers, David (9 September 2023). "Georgia player ratings: Luka Matkava catches the eye in loss to Wallabies". PlanetRugby. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  38. ^ Hinato (13 July 2024). "Le Japon s'incline face à la Géorgie". Asierugby (in French). Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  39. ^ worldrugby.org. "World Rugby". www.world.rugby. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
  40. ^ "International Match (Sky Sports)". SkySports. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
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