Georgia made home advantage pay by racking up a fourth straight World Rugby Nations Cup 2026 win after comfortably dispatching old adversaries Canada with a bonus-point victory in Tbilisi.
Both sides fought gamely throughout and the hosts led just 24-14 at the break but ultimately ran out emphatic winners in the Georgian capital.
Victorious captain Davit Niniashvili said: “I’m proud of my team and I want to say thank you to all our supporters who were here today. It’s a big motivation for us and we’ll be ready for Tonga next week.”
Canada skipper Lucas Rumball reflected: “Georgia really showed us what it means to have a strong kicking game. They put us under pressure and capitalised on our errors – mine included. We did some good things in the first half but we need to be better.”
Winger Dachi Papunashvili put the Lelos ahead with a smart finish in the left corner as he pounced on a teasing grubber kick from Niniashvili.
But the response from Canada saw them hit back through centre Ben LeSage, who took Jesse Kilgour’s neat short pass and dived over the line.
Canada then lost winger Nic Benn to a 19th-minute yellow card for a deliberate knock-on and Georgia immediately capitalised when Akaki Tabutsadze finished clinically in the right corner.
It was his 53rd try of a distinguished 64-match test career for the all-time leading try-scorer in Georgian rugby history.
Second-row Izzak Kelly replied for Canada with their second but Georgia scored twice more before the break to wrap up the bonus point.
Niniashvili touched down in the 30th minute before Luka Tabatadze scored on the stroke of half-time as the Lelos established a 24-14 interval lead.
After the break, Rumball was shown a yellow card and Georgia were subsequently awarded a penalty try before Beka Gigashvili, Tornike Kakhoidze, Tabutsadze and Vano Karkadze added further scores.
Canada replacement Liam James was hurt in a tackle late on following a collision with Georgia forward Mikheili Shioshvili and was taken off on a stretcher.
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