Serbia vs Georgia (2006)

[langpark]

Here is one from the vault that I randomly found today! 

I have to stay, I am stunned by what a good standard of rugby league they are playing!  There doesn't seem to be much information out there, so if anyone can shed any more light on this game, I'd really appreciate it!  Any details at all.  I would ask 'what ever happened to Georgia?' but I am pretty sure their time in League was just a few union players experimenting and was very short-lived.

 

 

[ATLANTISMAN]

Are you this sure this is NOT Georgia v Russia I actually went to the Russia v Georgia match in Moscow in October that year

[langpark]

No, I'm not sure at all, I am just going by what the title says.  That's why I was hoping someone could shed some light.

[yanto]

1 hour ago, langpark said:

No, I'm not sure at all, I am just going by what the title says.  That's why I was hoping someone could shed some light.

Serbia v Georgia correct .

I have the full game on DVD somewhere. During the game the players or the ball hit the posts and they fall down

Its the  2nd 2008 World Cup qualifier played on 13th may 2006 at Radnicki Stadium in Belgrade after the Netherlands v Russia had opened the Qualification process in Hoek van Holland a few weeks earlier.

Full game details https://www.rlef.eu.com/fixtures/184

[yanto]

Ha ha just looked at this on youtube.

I actually uploaded the clip

[yanto]

2;21 the collapse of the goal post as a Georgian player crashes into it ..Happy days

[yanto]

Serbia v Netherlands in Belgrade in 2005`

2nd European Championship qualifying game after Georgia had won 14-34 in Hoek van Holland 

Match details https://www.rlef.eu.com/fixtures/190

 

[yanto]

Great clip from 2004

 

[yanto]

3 hours ago, ATLANTISMAN said:

Are you this sure this is NOT Georgia v Russia I actually went to the Russia v Georgia match in Moscow in October that year

Are you sure about that ??  

Russia and Georgia were in conflict at the time over South Ossetia and  Abkahzia  (went to a short war in 2008 ) and were supposed to play in Moscow.

One story was that Georgia also had a union international game the same weekend and conceded the tie.

My information from the Georgian captain was that Russia had refused to issue visa's in time ( Holland had a similar problem so they made Russia play in The Netherlands) but anyway the RLEF awarded Russia the game 24-0 

Georgia  walked away from the game after this incident.

Your thinking about the game in 2005 when Russia won 48-14 after France had thrashed them 80-0 a week earlier.France then went to Tblisi and won 0-60 against Georgia.

[ATLANTISMAN]

Thanks Yanto I will check my old passport stamps I do remember going to the match in Moscow with an American friend there was around 1200 in the Olympic stadium and if I remember correctly the Georgian team travelled all the way by bus.

It was in October I remember I tried to drag the wife along however she preferred to stay at home with her mum and watch TV.

Russian team was actually from memory not too bad knew all the RL basics Gerogian team were just cobbled together from RU players but really made an effort it meant a lot to them.

Surprised also by the standard.

On another note I remember the Moscow Magicians match at Leeds around 1990 the team stayed at the Hilton and came with 500 glasnost (Spelled wrong I think T/shirts) which they sold for around 2.50 each the money was used to buy.

* 2 copies of every BEATLES album ever made

* Hundreds of cassette tapes

* Shoes

They were a wonderful bunch and lots of fun I also remember one at breakfast putting blueberry yogurt all over his fry up:)

 

 

[yanto]

6 hours ago, ATLANTISMAN said:

Thanks Yanto I will check my old passport stamps I do remember going to the match in Moscow with an American friend there was around 1200 in the Olympic stadium and if I remember correctly the Georgian team travelled all the way by bus.

It was in October I remember I tried to drag the wife along however she preferred to stay at home with her mum and watch TV.

Russian team was actually from memory not too bad knew all the RL basics Gerogian team were just cobbled together from RU players but really made an effort it meant a lot to them.

Surprised also by the standard.

On another note I remember the Moscow Magicians match at Leeds around 1990 the team stayed at the Hilton and came with 500 glasnost (Spelled wrong I think T/shirts) which they sold for around 2.50 each the money was used to buy.

* 2 copies of every BEATLES album ever made

* Hundreds of cassette tapes

* Shoes

They were a wonderful bunch and lots of fun I also remember one at breakfast putting blueberry yogurt all over his fry up:)

 

 

When we played Georgia they presented me with a big bloody hunting knife . Awesome feast and un limited wine after the game. We played on independence day in front of over 15000 people. Treated like Premier League football stars. Memories that will last forever. While on lockdown here in the Netherlands I'm going to have to find some old videos/ photos of the time I got smashed by a big Russian (or Kazakhstan) player at York nines and then at Middlesex nines I was presented with a Kazakhstan traditional hat and the most potent acholic drink ever to pass my lips.

Real Russian caviar washed down with vodka at a RLEF meeting in London at 3am in the morning. You were not allowed to refuse or leave the table as it was classed as being unpolite. Suffice to say I was ill very ill for about two days

Great times travelling and meeting people

True pioneers of the game. 

[ATLANTISMAN]

So sad that Russian Rugby League is not as popular as it was (I bumped into the old head on the ski slopes in Andorra a few years ago nice guy from Kazan) he owned a casino in Moscow which is what kept them going until Putin banned casinos outside of 8 regional zones (Mainly in Siberia) 

My oldest boy trained with the Russian  squad (RU) for the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand when he was only 15 years old and 80% of the team were Ex League players .

Would be great to see them back up to the standard they were before again:)

 

 

[langpark]

Fascinating insight there, thanks Yanto!  Was it just me, or did the standard then seem better than what it is now?  Of course they don't play anymore, so I am just comparing Serbia then, to Serbia now when I say that.

[yanto]

On 26/03/2020 at 12:52, langpark said:

Fascinating insight there, thanks Yanto!  Was it just me, or did the standard then seem better than what it is now?  Of course they don't play anymore, so I am just comparing Serbia then, to Serbia now when I say that.

My personal opinion is yes. 

Despite being 15 years further down the line the standard doesn't seem to progressed and as you point out has maybe even gone backwards. 

Serbia have done so much work but still seem to fall at the final hurdle and when you see nations like Greece putting 80 points on them you have to wonder whats (not) happening. Its a strange one.