Guram Papidze

{{infobox rugby biography

| name = Guram Papidze

| image =

| birthname =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1997|6|16}}

| birth_place = Tbilisi, Georgia

| height = {{height|m=1.86}}

| weight = {{convert|127|kg|stlb|abbr=on}}

| position = Tighthead Prop

| amatyears1 =

| amatteam1 =

| years1 = 2016-2018

| years2 = 2018-2021

| years3 = 2021-2022

| years4 = 2022-

| clubs1 = Lyon OU

| clubs2 = Nevers

| clubs3 = La Rochelle

| clubs4 = Section Paloise

| apps1 = 4

| apps2 = 38

| apps3 = 19

| apps4 = 22

| points1 = 0

| points2 = 20

| points3 = 5

| points4 = 5

| ru_clubupdate = 24 June 2022

| repyears1 = 2016-2017

| repyears2 = 2022-

| repteam1 = Georgia U20

| repteam2 = Georgia

| repcaps1 = 5

| repcaps2 = 0

| reppoints1 = 5

| reppoints2 = 0

| ru_ntupdate = 24 June 2022

}}

Guram Papidze (born June 16, 1997) in Tbilisi, Georgia is a Georgian rugby union player. He plays as Prop for Section Paloise in Top 14.{{Cite news|url=http://thefrontrowunion.com/2016/11/ulster-u20-teams-up-for-ulster-development-v-georgia-u20/|title=Ulster U20: Teams up for Ulster Development v Georgia U20 {{!}} The Front Row Union|date=2016-11-18|work=The Front Row Union|access-date=2018-03-12|language=en-US}}

Papidze began his career in France with Lyon OU before joining Nevers, which enabled him to be a JIFF player (joueurs issus des filières de formation, loosely translated as "academy-trained players").

Papidze has been a Georgian international since 2022, following his representation of the Georgia U20 in the 2017 World Rugby Under 20 Championship.{{Cite web |last=worldrugby.org |title=U20 Championship |url=http://www.worldrugby.org/u20/teams/2762 |access-date=2018-03-12 |website=www.worldrugby.org |language=en-GB |archive-date=2018-06-27 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20180627053854/http://www.worldrugby.org/u20/teams/2762 |url-status=dead }}

Guram Papidze is part of the Georgia national rugby union team for the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France.{{Cite web |date=2023-06-21 |title=Section Paloise : Beka Gorgadze et Guram Papidze parmi les 39 de la Géorgie pour la Coupe du monde |url=https://www.larepubliquedespyrenees.fr/sport/rugby/section-paloise/section-paloise-beka-gorgadze-et-guram-papidze-parmi-les-39-de-la-georgie-pour-la-coupe-du-monde-15651451.php |access-date=2023-09-04 |website=LaRepubliqueDesPyrenees |language=fr-FR}}

Career

= Club =

Papidze first experienced French rugby at the age of eighteen with LOU alongside Antoine Nicoud. In 2018, he joined USON Nevers Rugby, where he spent three seasons, playing a total of 37 Pro D2 matches.{{Cite web |last=Denat |first=Frédéric |date=2021-09-07 |title=Guram Papidze (La Rochelle) : " Pour un pilier, la Pro D2 est une bonne école " |url=https://www.lequotidiendusport.fr/guram-papidze-la-rochelle-pour-un-pilier-la-pro-d2-est-une-bonne-ecole/ |access-date=2023-09-04 |website=Le Quotidien du Sport |language=fr-FR}}

During the 2021-2022 season, he participated in 19 Top 14 matches with 3 starts for Stade Rochelais.

Papidze joined Section Paloise at the beginning of the 2022–23 Top 14 season. During his first season at Pau, he went to on to play in 22 matches.{{Cite web |title=Fiche de Guram Papidze (Pau), l'actu le palmares et les stats de Guram Papidze |url=https://www.lequipe.fr/Rugby/RugbyFicheJoueur9729.html |access-date=2023-09-04 |website=L'Équipe |language=fr}}

= National team =

Papidze was a starting tighthead prop in the historic victory of Georgia against Wales at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium in November 2022.{{Cite web |title=Wales 12-13 Georgia: Los Lelos pick up historic Test victory at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff |url=https://www.skysports.com/rugby-union/news/12321/12750251/wales-12-13-georgia-les-lelos-pick-up-historic-test-victory-at-the-principality-stadium-in-cardiff |access-date=2023-09-04 |website=Sky Sports |language=en}}

Personal life

Guram Papidze played water polo until the age of fifteen.{{Cite news |last=Lannessan |first=Georges |date=2022-01-09 |title=Top 14/Section Paloise. Guram Papidze, la tête la première |language=fr-FR |url=https://www.sudouest.fr/sport/rugby/section-paloise/top-14-section-paloise-guram-papidze-la-tete-la-premiere-12028021.php |access-date=2023-09-04 |issn=1760-6454}}

He speaks perfect French and is a literature enthusiast, particularly favoring the works of Hugo, Balzac, Maupassant, as well as Dickens.

He is also a passionate cinephile.

References

{{Reflist}}