Antim Cup
The Antim Cup is contested between the rugby union teams of Romania ("The Oaks") and Georgia ("The Lelos"). It is named after the Metropolis of Muntenia and Dobrudja Anthim the Iberian, who was originally a Georgian.
The Antim Cup is contested each time Georgia and Romania meet in a senior international match other than World Cup matches or qualifiers. The holder retains the cup unless the challenger wins the match in normal time.
There was a motion from the Georgia Rugby Union just before the 2000 European Nations Cup decider in Tbilisi, to establish a challenge cup along the lines of the Calcutta and Bledisloe Cups to be annually played for between the Oaks and the Lelos.
It was decided that the cup should be named after Antimoz Iverieli (Georgian version) – Antim Ivireanul (Romanian version) (c 1650–1716). The Rugby Supporters' League (RML) of Georgia approached the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Ilia II of Georgia through influential go-betweens and received his blessing for the use of the name 'Antim'.
The trophy was made by Georgian sculptor and former rugby player Gia Japaridze, who cast the cup in gilded bronze.
The current holder is Georgia, who defeated Romania 38–9 on March 19, 2016 in Tbilisi.
Previous winners
Year | Date | Home | Score | Away | Victor | Venue |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2002 | 6 April | Georgia | 23–31 | Romania | Romania | Tbilisi |
2003 | 30 March | Georgia | 6–19 | Romania | Romania | Tbilisi |
2004 | 27 May | Romania | 25–18 | Georgia | Romania | Iași |
2005 | 12 March | Georgia | 20–13 | Romania | Georgia | Tbilisi |
2006 | 25 February | Romania | 35–10 | Georgia | Romania | Bucharest |
2007 | 3 February | Romania | 17–20 | Georgia | Georgia | Bucharest |
2008 | 9 February | Georgia | 22–7 | Romania | Georgia | Tbilisi |
2009 | 14 March | Georgia | 28–23 | Romania | Georgia | Tbilisi |
2010 | 13 March | Romania | 22–10 | Georgia | Romania | Bucharest |
2011 | 12 March | Georgia | 18–11 | Romania | Georgia | Tbilisi |
2012 | 10 March | Romania | 13–19 | Georgia | Georgia | Bucharest |
2013 | 16 March | Romania | 9–9 | Georgia | Georgia | Bucharest |
2014 | 15 March | Georgia | 22–9 | Romania | Georgia | Tbilisi |
2015 | 21 March | Romania | 6–15 | Georgia | Georgia | Bucharest |
2016 | 19 March | Georgia | 38–9 | Romania | Georgia | Tbilisi |
Total wins:
- Georgia: 10
- Romania: 5