Georgian Fly-Half Tedo Abzhandadze Signs with Aurillac
Tedo Abzhandadze, the talented Georgian fly-half, has signed a two-year contract with Pro D2 side Stade Aurillacois Cantal Auvergne. The move sees the 24-year-old reunite with several of his fellow Georgian internationals, including Luka Nioradze, Lasha Mchelidze, and Mikheil Alania, who have also joined the French club.
Abzhandadze’s rugby journey has taken him from his home club of Aia Kutaisi to a brief stint with Terenure College RFC U20s in Ireland in 2017, before signing with CA Brive in 2019. During his time at Brive, he gained JIFF status and made his first appearance against Stade Français in the EPCR Challenge Cup, though he was only called up for 26 games over three seasons.
In the summer of 2022, the fly-half took a step back, signing with the historic US Montauban club. However, with his contract set to expire in 2025, Montauban has allowed Abzhandadze to leave a year early, after he played just 18 games out of 60.
Abzhandadze made his international debut for the Georgia national rugby union team in November 2018, helping the Lelos defeat Tonga in Tbilisi. The talented player has since earned 52 caps for his country, scoring 339 points and contributing to memorable victories over Italy and Wales. He has already represented Georgia in two Rugby World Cups.
“Aurillac has been on the hunt for a new fly-half following the departure of Antoine Aucagne, who will be joining Top 14 side USA Perpignan at the end of the season. Abzhandadze’s signing is seen as a coup for the Pro D2 team, as the Georgian looks to regain his starting spot in the Lelos’ setup before the next Rugby World Cup, where he faces stiff competition from rising star Luka Matkava.”
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