The rugby connection!

Zura Dugladze-ex-player, trainer, coach, ex-Beach Rugby Union President and tour organiser 

Zura “Dugi” Dugladze began his rugby career in 1987 with the Tbilisi Technical University rugby team. In 1994 he joined Kochebi, one of Georgia’s oldest club sides, where he continued playing professionally. Five years later, in 1999, he moved to Hooligana Rugby Club, both as a player and as a youth team coach.

In 2005, the Vice-President of the Georgian Rugby Union, Irakli Gvenetadze, appointed Zura to establish Georgia’s first women’s rugby team. He served as head coach of the national women’s team for two years. Later, he joined the coaching staff of the Ministry of Defence and trained the Georgian special forces rugby team.

 

In 2007, Zura and several fellow veteran players founded the Georgian Beach Rugby Union. The GBRU organised tournaments at various levels and age groups, but it became best known for the annual International Batumi Beach Rugby Festival, held for fifteen consecutive years. Over the years it welcomed men’s and women’s team from France, Azerbaijan, Russia, Iran, Turkey and Britain.

Among its international participants was the Bulldogs Rugby UK team, which attended the Batumi Beach Rugby Festival five times and remains a strong supporter of rugby in Georgia. Bulldogs Rugby UK, one of Travel Eurasia’s partners, continues to maintain close links with the country through its president, Anthony Lynn, who has been coming to Georgia since 2005 and continues to visit regularly .

Anth Lynn, Tour Manager, Bulldogs Rugby, UK
“We have been very fortunate to have been invited to play rugby and tour this amazing country (Georgia) on a number occasions and every time we have visited, the experience has been made special by the dedication of the staff at Travel Eurasia.
Their local knowledge, professionalism and attention to detail, stands out above anything else, leaving us with such wonderful memories that will last a lifetime.”

The Georgian Beach Rugby Association later expanded its activities, adopting the international variant known as Rugby Fives and incorporating snow rugby into its programme. Snow rugby tournaments in Gudauri and Bakuriani soon became a regular part of the Georgian rugby calendar.

Pam Kemsley Dugladze- ex player and tour organiser

In 2005, while working in Baku, Pam was encouraged to join a newly formed Azerbaijani women’s rugby team—the only women’s team in the entire country at the time. Thanks to strong support from both the local and expatriate communities in terms of coaching and sponsorship, the team grew steadily. At the 2006 Baku Rugby Club Dinner, the players voted to adopt the official name The Caspian Cats. At its peak, the squad had more than 20 regular players training weekly.

The Caspian Cats competed in the Dubai Sevens in both 2006 and 2007 and travelled several times to Georgia to play against the Tbilisi women’s team, where women’s rugby was rapidly gaining momentum. It was during this period in Baku that Pam and Zura first met.

Pam and Zura later collaborated on various rugby events, including arranging the first-ever visit of a school rugby team from Britain to Georgia. In April 2017, St David’s College from North Wales—led by Bulldogs Rugby UK player Daniel Lycett—arrived to play against the Georgian club side Khvamli. The team were also given a rugby master class by the Georgian National Team Coach Milton Haig at the Shevardeni Stadium.

Travel Eurasia’s next school rugby tour was organised for Ampthill RFC U17 in October 2019. The team took part in a two-day, three-team tournament and was accompanied by parents and relatives, many of whom were visiting Georgia for the first time. 

Hugh Christey – Head Coach, Ampthill U17s said  “In October 2019 Ampthill RUFC U17s spent a week in Georgia organised by Pam and Zura with Travel Eurasia. I have been on countless rugby tours all round the world over the past 40 years as a player and as a coach and can honestly say that this one was unique.
Our hosts were totally dedicated to us enjoying the country and having an unforgettable rugby experience. We felt in a safe pair of hands from the moment we landed at Kutaisi and throughout our unforgettable Tbilisi experience.
The passion for rugby in Georgia would put most countries to shame and Zura’s connections are all genuine rugby people so the matches were great contests.
Finally, everything you hear about the food, wine and Georgian hospitality is completely true – get there before everyone realises what great value it offers!”

Zura and Pam are looking forward to welcoming teams and their supporters from all over the world in 2026 for the U20s Men’s Rugby World Championship.