The much-anticipated rugby clash between Georgia and Ireland takes place on Saturday, 5th July 2025, at the Mikheil Meskhi Stadium in Tbilisi. This fixture marks the beginning of Ireland’s two-match summer tour, with a significantly changed squad led by Paul O’Connell, as many senior players and coaches are on Lions duty in Australia[1].
For this encounter, Ireland will be without 16 players involved with the Lions, as well as key figures Caelan Doris and Robbie Henshaw due to injury. Munster’s Craig Casey has been named captain, and the team will see debuts from Tommy O’Brien and Darragh Murray. Sam Prendergast starts at half-back alongside Casey, with Jimmy O’Brien and Jacob Stockdale also featuring in the back three[2].
Georgia, considered the dominant rugby force outside the Six Nations in Europe, welcomes this opportunity to make history. They have notable victories against Wales, Tonga, and Japan in recent years, and with home advantage in Tbilisi, their physically imposing squad is expected to push the Irish side[1][3]. The Georgian starting lineup includes Davit Niniashvili, Akaki Tabutsadze, and Demur Tapladze in the backline, with Vasil Lobzhanidze at scrum-half and Tornike Jalagonia at number eight[3].
While Ireland remains the favorite, bookmakers expect a competitive match rather than a one-sided affair. The most common prediction sees Ireland winning by 8–14 points, with some advice leaning towards backing Georgia with a +14 point handicap[2][3].
Broadcast and Streaming: The game is not televised in the UK, but fans in the Republic of Ireland can watch on Virgin Media One or stream via Virgin Media Play. UK and US viewers can watch online via RugbyPass TV[1][3].