Merab Sharikadze Explained

Merab Sharikadze
Birth Date:17 May 1993
Birth Place:Moscow, Russia
Height:1.850NaN0
Weight:1000NaN0
University:Hartpury College
Position:Centre
Currentclub:Black Lion
Years1:2013–2014
Clubs1:Bourg-en-Bresse
Apps1:15
Points1:0
Years2:2014–2019
Clubs2:Aurillac
Apps2:77
Points2:45
Years3:2021–
Clubs3:Black Lion
Apps3:17
Points3:5
Repyears1:2012–
Repteam1:Georgia
Repcaps1:104
Reppoints1:102
Clubupdate:4 August 2023
Repupdate:1 September 2023

Merab Sharikadze (Georgian: მერაბ შარიქაძე; born 17 May 1993) is a Georgian professional rugby union player who plays as a centre for Super Cup club Black Lion and captains the Georgia national team.

Early life

Merab Sharikadze began rugby in Tbilisi with the club 'Academia'. Aged just 16, he was called up to Georgia U18 team. In 2011, thanks to a partnership between the GRU and Hartpury College, Merab Sharikadze went to England to learn and play for Hartpury College R.F.C. Thanks to his strong performances, he was called up to play for Gloucester U19. The same year, he was named Georgia U19's captain. He made his full international debut on the 21 February 2012 against Spain, aged only 18, the 7th youngest player to be capped by Georgia.

Club career

In September 2013, Merab Sharikadze joined the French side Union Sportive Bressane, just promoted in Pro D2, the French second division. The team finished on the bottom of the table and was relegated. Sharikadze signed to another Pro D2 side, Stade Aurillacois Cantal Auvergne and joined them during the summer 2014. At international level, the inside centre played his first game against a Tier1 nation in November 2014, against Ireland at Aviva Stadium. He showed his defensive skills, making 22 tackles during the game.

References

http://tier2rugby.blogspot.fr/2014/03/the-georgian-backline-hope-merab.html
https://web.archive.org/web/20141220083959/http://www.thescore.ie/georgia-ireland-centre-irish-coaches-1778472-Nov2014/
http://www.espnscrum.com/scrum/rugby/player/160271.html
http://www.lerugbynistere.fr/videos/video-merab-sharikadze-casse-quatre-plaquages-samoans-donne-victoire-georgie-2611131828.php