Nikoloz Sutidze
| Full name | Nikoloz Sutidze | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | 1 September 2003 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 180 cm (5 ft 11 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 104 kg (229 lb; 16 st 5 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Nikoloz (Nika) Sutidze (Georgian: ნიკოლოზ სუთიძე, born 1 September 2003) is a Georgian rugby union player who plays for French Top 14 club Stade Rochelais and the Georgian national team as a hooker.
Previously a member of the national youth teams, he is the winner of the 2021 U18 European Championship.
Club career
Sutidze started playing rugby from the age of five at local club Lelo in Tbilisi. A third row initially, he switched to the hooker position after arrival at French top-league side Stade Rochelais in 2021. Sutidze made his professional debut as a substitute in a 43–22 win over Lyon on 5 October 2024 and took part in nine league games of his first season.[1] He scored a try against the same opponents in his fourth appearance for the club in February next year.[2]
His current contract with the club is due to expire in 2028.[3]
International career
Although aged 17, Sutidze was considered prolific enough to be selected to the U20 team for an international tournament held in South Africa in the summer of 2021.[4] He featured in all four games and helped the team with a try against Italy.[5]
Two months later, he joined the U18 team represented at the European Championship.[6] He was in the starting line-up for his team which won the tournament after a 27–0 win over Belgium and secured a third consecutive cup.[7]
In 2022, Sutidze was called up again to the U20s taking part in six nations Summer Series hosted by Italy.[8]
Sutidze drew interest from the national team coach Richard Cockerill who included him in the squad for a European Cup semifinal clash against Romania in March 2024.[9] He made first appearance for the team in a friendly game against Japan on 22 November 2025.[10]
Honours
Rugby Europe Under-18 Championship winner: 2021
References
- ^ "აფრასიძის 50-ე, სუთიძის – პირველი" [Aprasidze playing his 50th game while Sutidze his first match]. sarbieli.com (in Georgian). 7 October 2024. Retrieved 8 March 2026.
- ^ "Lyon v La Rochelle match report". all.rugby. 15 February 2025. Retrieved 8 March 2026.
- ^ "Sutidze, Kuntelia and Penverne committed until 2028!". Stade Rochelais. 29 August 2025. Retrieved 8 March 2026.
- ^ "სამხრეთაფრიკული ტურნესთვის 30 მორაგბე შეირჩა" [Thirty players selected for South African tournament] (in Georgian). lelo.ge. 15 June 2021.
- ^ "Italy v Georgia match report". all.rugby. 25 June 2022. Retrieved 8 March 2026.
- ^ "ხუთი ცვლილება ბელგიასთან მატჩისთვის" [Five substitutions for upcoming fixture against Belgium]. Lelo (in Georgian). 5 October 2021.
- ^ "Portugal v Georgia match report". rugbyeurope.eu. 9 October 2021. Retrieved 8 March 2026.
- ^ "უმცროსი ბორჯღალოსნები U20 ექვსი ერის ზაფხულის სერიაზე გაემგზავრნენ" [Georgia U20 heads for Six Nations Summer Series]. rugby.ge (in Georgian). 17 June 2022.
- ^ "საქართველოს ნაკრებს რუმინეთთან მატჩამდე 4 მორაგბე დაემატა" [Four players added to the national team]. worldsport.ge (in Georgian). 23 February 2026. Retrieved 8 March 2026.
- ^ "დაუმსახურებელი შედეგით "მიხეილ მესხზე"" [Georgia suffers an undeserved defeat at Mikheil Meskhi]. rugby.ge (in Georgian). 22 November 2025. Retrieved 8 March 2026.