Mikheil Babunashvili

Mikheil Babunashvili (; born 31 May 1996) is a Georgian rugby union player who plays as a lock and flanker for Black Lion and RC Aia Kutaisi.

Club career

RC Aia Kutaisi He began playing at Aia Kutaisi as a kid, where his father Guga Babunashvili, who was also a Georgian International, played. After for playing for Tarbes Pyrénées Espoirs in France, Babunashvili moved back to his home town to play for Aia Kutaisi in the Didi 10.

Black Lion He was named in the initial Black Lion squad for the inaugural Rugby Europe Super Cup.

International career

Georgia under-20 He helped Georgia under-20 earn promotion to the 2016 World Rugby U20 Championship, winning the 2015 World Rugby Under 20 Trophy, starting and scoring in the final against Canada.

Georgia He made his debut against Portugal, starting in a 23–14 win. He was called up to the Georgia squad for the 2023 Rugby World Cup replacing Lasha Jaiani due a knee injury. However Babunashvili never featured in the competition. In the 2024 Rugby Europe Championship he was nominated for the Player of the Pool Stage.

Honors

Georgia under-20

World Rugby U20 Trophy Champions: (1) 2015

Georgia

Rugby Europe Championship Champions: (3) 2023, 2024, 2025

RC Aia Kutaisi

Didi 10 Champions: (2) 2020–21, 2023–24 Runners up: (1) 2017–18

Black Lion

Rugby Europe Super Cup Champions: (4) 2021–22, 2022, 2023, 2024