In the sixth of a series of riveting articles celebrating the journeymen of French rugby, we pay homage to a player who’s carved out a career at the bottom end of the professional game. Le Rugby heads east to profile arguably the biggest name in Georgian rugby history. Gamardjoba Ilia Zedginidze!

Born in Tbilisi in January 1977, Zedginidze spent his early playing career bouncing around the backwaters of the domestic Georgian rugby scene. Like all his compatriots, he was forced to leave his native land and head west to further his ambitions. Like almost all of his compatriots, this meant beginning a new life in France.

Our intrepid lock’s odyssey en France began in June 2002 with Pro D2 outfit Toulon. At the time, the lads from the Mediterranean were minus their current owner, moneybags mogul Mourad Boudjellal. Although he enjoyed his time at the Stade Feliz Mayol, the season ended with a 10th place finish, with Toulon’s points tally being much closer to those of relegated Aubenas and Marmande, than those of promoted Brive and Montpellier.

The summer of 2003 saw Zedginidze temporarily leave his new home. He penned a deal with Rugby Rovigo, of Italy’s Super 10. His time at the Stadio Communale Mario Battaglini in the Veneto region of northeastern Italy was largely uneventful, as at the time was Italian rugby’s top flight in general. The chance to return to France, albeit at a lower level, was offered to our man in May 2004.

Orleans may be better known as the twin town of Dundee, but Ilia headed there to play for its Fédérale 2 team. Although happy to be back amongst the steak frites and pressions, the quality of rugby at the Stade Marcel Garcin was poor. He stuck it out for a season, but was soon packing his bags once again.

A move to Peter Mayle country would follow next for this bulky yet crafty second row. With the foie gras and Sauvignon Blanc chilling nicely in the back of his Renault Safrane, Zedginidze headed south during the 2005 close season to join Pro D2 outfit Aix-en-Provence. The Georgian stalwart was an influential figure at the Stade Maurice David, though in a struggling side. He made 19 appearances and crossed for three tries, but his substantial contribution was not enough to help les Provencales avoid the drop with a third-from-bottom finish spelling relegation to Fédérale 1.

Keen to stay in French rugby’s second tier, Zedginidze made the switch to D2 club Auch in July 2006, a club keen to return to the Top 14 at the first time of asking. His one and only season at the Stade Jacques Fouroux was certainly un sac mélangé. It was indeed an unforgettable campaign for les Auscitains, as they stormed to the Pro D2 championship for only the second time in their history. They won 25 of their 30 matches, ending 12 points ahead of their nearest rivals Dax. However, Zedginidze himself only played in 9 of those games (with just 6 starts) and spent a mere 402 minutes on the pitch, equivalent to five whole matches.

An immediate victim of Auch’s recruitment drive for the following season’s crack at the Top 14, Zedginidze left the club to concentrate on his country’s effort at the upcoming 2007 Rugby World Cup. This would be his second World Cup, having captained the Lelos in the 2003 tournament. The lead up to the tournament was a painful one for our grizzled lock, as he cracked his skull against Italy in a warm-up match, a metal plate acting as a permanent reminder of the injury. The tournament itself too was a painful one for his countrymen. They were une douche de merde, losing all four games with Zedginidze playing in three of these, and starting two.

The 2007 RWC would be a bitter sweet experience for Zedginidze, who started two of the three games. Despite Georgia recording their first ever win, by way of a 30-0 blanking of Namibia, the herculean effort against Ireland that culminated in an undeserved 10-14 reverse saw Zedginidze suffer a broken kneecap. This horrific injury forced him to quit the international scene, a career that had ironically begun against Ireland in November 1998 and that yielded a highly impressive 14 tries in 36 games. Zedginidze was philosophical about his fate. "I'm used to injury. During the game you never know when it can happen. It's certainly a pity, but c'est la vie", he said, displaying his firm grip of the French language.

The injury forced him to take a prolonged break from the game. Years of playing outside Georgia meant nine months per year away from his family and friends. “I will stop my rugby career after the injury at the World Cup. I want to go home. I've spent too long outside my country", said Zedginidze recently. Heartfelt words from a man who subsequently rejoined Fédérale 1 side Aix-en-Provence in May of this year.

A true rugby warrior who won’t allow serious injury or homesickness to interfere with his playing career, his story is a classic modern tale of rags to rags. Not for him was a life of luxury, sitting on a bench whilst counting his inflated salary. If ever you’re lucky enough to meet him on your travels around Georgia (or Provence), greet him with a lusty allez Ilia Zedginidze!