2019 Rugby World Cup: Australia 27-8 Georgia

Australia pulled off a lacklustre win against the Georgians in Group D

2019 Rugby World Cup: Australia v Georgia
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2019 Rugby World Cup: Australia v Georgia

2019 Rugby World Cup: Australia 27-8 Georgia

Head-to-head

Played – 1

Australia wins – 1

Most recent meeting – This was the first meeting between the two sides

Did You Know?

  • Mamuka Gorgodze got his 14th World Cup start and retired for the second time after the final whistle.
  • Australia started their 11th different half-back combination since reaching the final at RWC 2015.
  • Australia have won all 19 matches of their Rugby World Cup matches against Tier 2 nations.

Related: Rugby World Cup Fixtures

In a nutshell

It was a match largely dictated by tough conditions in Shizuoka today as the Wallabies laboured to a less than inspiring victory over Georgia. Wind and swirling rain, coupled with the humidity made the 80 minute affair error-strewn and very stop-start.

Throughout the first 20 minute the Wallabies knocked on the European door consistently and with varying degrees of force but the men in white managed to hold them at bay. Unbelievably after just 23 minutes they had made 111 tackles. Unfortunately for them, probably the smallest player on the pitch, Nic White managed to burrow over the line to get the first try and first points of the match.

The Georgians quickly responded with a penalty, and then gave one right back to Matt To’omua who slotted and gave the Australians a 10-3 lead heading into half-time.

Coming back out for the second half the Wallabies had to play the first 5 minutes with 14 men as Isa Naisarani was finishing off his sin-binning after a high tackle on the 35th minute. Michael Cheika would have been pleased that they did not conceded any points in that period, but what he will be less pleased with was how disjointed and lacklustre the men in gold were.

Marika Koroibete then put clear daylight between the two sides with a fine solo effort that illuminated his threat in broken play, and just how exhausted the Georgians looked. 10 minutes later Sandro Todua scored for Georgia which them the slimmest of hopes but they were dashed in the final five minutes as the Australians sealed the bonus point with tries from Jack Dempsey and Will Genia.

Georgia will go home after failing to qualify for the knockouts whereas Australia will face England in the quarter-finals provided Wales beat Uruguay which seems pretty certain.

Star man – Marika Koroibete

In a game as difficult as this it is always problematic to pick a star player but Koroibete’s solo try and ability to create something out of nothing gets the nod for us.

Related: Rugby World Cup TV Coverage

The reaction

Australian captain for the match, David Pocock: 

Georgia coach Milton Haig; 

The Teams

Australia: Kurtley Beale (Dane Haylett-Petty 13); Jordan Petaia (Christian Lealiifano 57), James O’Connor, Samu Kerevi, Marika Koroibete; Matt To’omua, Nic White (Will Genia 50); Scott Sio (James Slipper 57), Tolu Latu (Jordan Uelese 65), Sekope Kepu (Taniela Tupou 45), Izack Rodda, Rory Arnold (Rob Simmons 57), Jack Dempsey, David Pocock (captain) (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto 60), Isi Naisarani.

Tries: White 23, Koroibete 60, Dempsey 76, Genia 79     Con: Toomua 2       Pen: Toomua 1

Sin-bin: Naisarani 35

Georgia: Soso Matiashvili; Giorgi Kveseladze, Davit Kacharava (Tamaz Mchedlidze 57), Merab Sharikadze (Lasha Malaguradze 71), Sandro Todua; Lasha Khmaladze, Gela Aprasidze (Vasil Lobzhanidze 50); Mikheil Nariashvili (Guram Gogichashvili 50), Shalva Mamukashvili (Jaba Bregvadze 50), Beka Gigashvili (Giorgi Melikidze, 50), Giorgi Nemsadze (Otar Giorgadze 60), Kote Mikautadze, Beka Saginadze, Mamuka Gorgodze, Beka Gorgadze (Giorgi Tkhilaishvili 57).

Tries: Todua 70  Pen: Matiashvil 1

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