Luka Matkava Explained

Luka Matkava
Fullname:Luka Matkava
Birth Date:10 May 2001
Birth Place:Tbilisi, Georgia
Height:1.780NaN0
Weight:850NaN0
Position:Scrum-half, Fly-half
Currentclub:Montpellier
Youthyears1:20??-2019
Youthclubs1:RC Armazi
Years1:2019-2021
Clubs1:RC Armazi
Apps1:25
Points1:61
Years2:2021-
Clubs2:Black Lion
Apps2:34
Points2:247
Years3:2021-2022
Clubs3:RC Junkers
Apps3:6
Points3:37
Years4:2022-2023
Clubs4:Khvamli Tbilisi
Apps4:1
Points4:0
Years5:2023-2024
Clubs5:RC Batumi
Apps5:0
Points5:0
Totalyears:2019-
Totalapps:66
Totalpoints:345
Repyears1:2019
Repteam1:Georgia under-18
Repcaps1:3
Reppoints1:15
Repyears3:2022–
Repteam3:Georgia
Repcaps3:22
Reppoints3:145
Clubupdate:20 July 2024
Repupdate: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

TryOpposing teamLocationVenueCompetitionDateResultScore
1[39] Tbilisi, GeorgiaAvchala Stadium2023 Rugby Europe ChampionshipFebruary 5, 2023Victory72–12
2[40] Tbilisi, GeorgiaMikheil Meskhi StadiumAugust 12, 2023Victory 56–6

Honours

Georgia Under-18

Georgia

Black Lion

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Luka MATKAVA - Player statistics - It's rugby . 2023-02-09 . www.itsrugby.co.uk.
  2. Web site: Rugby Union: Armazi Tbilisi results - Flashscore.co.uk . 2023-02-09 . www.flashscore.co.uk . en-GB.
  3. Web site: Luka MATKAVA 9/10 CSPORT . 2023-02-09 . Calanda Sports . fr-FR.
  4. Web site: რაგბის კავშირის სტატისტიკის სამსახური . 2023-02-09 . stat-rugby-ge.translate.goog.
  5. Web site: რაგბის კავშირის სტატისტიკის სამსახური . 2024-02-08 . stat-rugby-ge.translate.goog.
  6. Web site: Squads of 36 announced ahead of Super Cup openers . 2023-02-09 . Rugby Europe . en-GB.
  7. Web site: Rugby Europe Super Cup . 2023-08-13 . Rugby Europe . en-GB.
  8. Web site: 17 December 2022 . RESC Gamesheet BLACK LION VS TEL-AVIV HEAT . 14 August 2023 . Rugby Europe.
  9. News: Gloucester avoid European upset at Black Lion . en-GB . BBC Sport . 2023-12-10.
  10. News: Scarlets humiliated in shock defeat by Black Lion . en-GB . BBC Sport . 2023-12-17.
  11. Web site: The Georgians win again in Wales as Black Lion beat Scarlets - Welsh Rugby Union . 2023-12-17 . Welsh Rugby Union Wales & Regions . en-GB.
  12. Web site: Final : Black Lion v Tel Aviv Heat . 2023-12-22 . Rugby Europe . en-GB.
  13. Web site: 2024-03-02 . BLACK LION 2021-22 Currie Cup . 2024-05-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240302235021/https://stat.rugby.ge/QT/SQUAD_14.htm . 2 March 2024 .
  14. Web site: იუნკერები 35–29 არესი . 26 May 2024 . Georgia Rugby.
  15. Web site: ლელო 36–7 იუნკერები . 26 May 2024 . Georgia Rugby.
  16. Web site: იუნკერები 20–27 ყაზბეგი . 26 May 2024 . Georgia Rugby.
  17. Web site: აია 17–3 იუნკერები . 26 May 2024 . Georgia Rugby.
  18. Web site: ყოჩები 47–3 იუნკერები . 26 May 2024 . Georgia Rugby.
  19. Web site: იუნკერები 13–40 ლელო . 26 May 2024 . Georgia Rugby.
  20. Web site: 2021-22 დიდი 10 . 2024-05-26 . stat-rugby-ge.translate.goog.
  21. Web site: აია 17–18 ხვამლი . 25 May 2024 . Georgia Rugby.
  22. Web site: დიდი 10 ბათუმი . 2024-05-26 . stat-rugby-ge.translate.goog.
  23. Web site: 2024-07-14 . Luka Matkava set to be Montpellier's latest recruitment . 2024-07-16 . amp.rugbypass.com . en.
  24. Web site: 2024-07-15 . Luka Matkava set to be Montpellier's latest recruitment . 2024-07-16 . www.rugby-addict.com . en-za.
  25. Web site: Georgia v Spain U18 . 2023-08-13 . Rugby Europe . en-GB.
  26. Web site: Georgia v Russia U18 . 2023-08-13 . Rugby Europe . en-GB.
  27. Web site: Georgia v Germany U18 . 2023-08-13 . Rugby Europe . en-GB.
  28. Web site: Ujmajuridze . Alexandre . 2020-11-04 . Three to wait for a Chance to Shine . 2023-08-13 . Georgia Rugby Union . en-US.
  29. Web site: Luka MATKAVA profile and stats . 2023-02-09 . all.rugby . en.
  30. Web site: World . Rugby . 2023-02-08 . Rugby Europe Championship 2023 –The best moments of Round One . 2023-02-09 . Rugby World . en-US.
  31. Web site: "I thought I was in a dream" - Matkava on his big kick for Georgia . 2023-02-09 . Rugby Europe . en-GB.
  32. Web site: Georgia v Germany . 2023-08-13 . Rugby Europe . en-GB.
  33. GeorgianRugby . 1622198363444723712 . Luka Matkava becomes @rugby_europe Champs 2023 Player Of The Match. 2023-08-13 . en-GB.
  34. Web site: Qsovreli . Zura . 2023-06-18 . ბორჯღალოსნები მსოფლიოსთვის მზადება დაიწყო . 2023-08-13 . Georgia Rugby Union . ka.
  35. Web site: International Match (Sky Sports) . 2023-08-13 . SkySports . en.
  36. Web site: 2023-08-12 . 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 . 2023-08-13 . Orangesport . ro.
  37. Web site: Skippers . David . 2023-09-09 . Georgia player ratings: Luka Matkava catches the eye in loss to Wallabies . 2023-09-09 . PlanetRugby . en.
  38. Web site: Hinato . 2024-07-13 . Le Japon s'incline face à la Géorgie . 2024-07-13 . Asierugby . fr.
  39. Web site: worldrugby.org . World Rugby . 2023-02-09 . www.world.rugby.
  40. Web site: International Match (Sky Sports) . 2023-08-13 . SkySports . en.