Georgian rugby icon Mamuka Gorgodze announces retirement
GLOUCESTER, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 19: Georgia captain Mamuka Gorgodze is tackled by the Tonga defence during the 2015 Rugby World Cup Pool C match between Tonga and Georgia at Kingsholm Stadium on September 19, 2015 in Gloucester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Harry Engels/Getty Images)
Fearsome Georgia back row Mamuka Gorgodze has called time on his career after it was agreed the Top 14 season would be abandoned yesterday.
Gorgodze planned on ending his professional career when the club season in France finished in June, but has been forced to bring this forward after the LNR’s announcement.
The 35-year-old came out of international retirement to play for Georgia at last year’s Rugby World Cup in Japan and was set to receive a grand send-off from Toulon, after six years with RCT.
Gorgodze’s last appearance for the Top 14 came against Pau last November after being given time to recover from playing in all four of the Lelos’ World Cup pool matches.
Injury meant the veteran has missed all of Toulon’s season since.
But the 75-cap forward was adamant he felt no self-pity given the current circumstances the world finds itself in.
“It’s the worst end of career one can imagine,” Gorgodze told rugbyrama.fr earlier this week when the writing looking to be on the wall.
“I have been playing pro rugby for 16 years. I gave everything for this sport and it fell really badly: between the injury and the virus, it was not the end I had imagined.
“It’s not dramatic. At the moment many families have lost loved ones, parents – that’s serious. What would I tell them? I’m complaining because I couldn’t go out and get an extra match? No, you have to be decent. It’s very hard for me, but I don’t want to complain, it would be dishonest.
“I refuse to complain. There has been almost 200,000 deaths, and I’m going to cry because I didn’t leave with a bouquet of flowers in the last game? I’m not like that.”
