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The fourth and final fixture of the Summer Cup sees the Georgia XV taking-on Brazil on Friday. The fixture is to be historic as the country’s square-off at senior level for the first time.
The Georgia XV go into the game looking for back-to-back victories. The national ‘next of xv’ defeated the Argentina XV 23-22 last Saturday, doing so after having trailed by 15 points.
Brazil’s opening fixture of the Summer Cup was a heavy defeat. Their match against Racing 92 saw a fully professional side with players from around the world completing a comfortable victory.
Six days on the Georgia XV have gone for six changes. Of these five come in the backs with only Revaz Jinjinkhadze and Tedo Abzhandadze having been retained from the side that started against the Argentina XV. The pair hold down their positions at outside center and fly half respectively.
In the forwards seven players will again start. The one change comes in the second-row with Tornike Akubardia replacing Arsen Trapaidze. With winger Giorgi Shkinin not featuring the captaincy goes to hooker Giorgi Chkoidze.
Brazil are without captain Yan Rosetti. This sees an emergency replacement with Tight Head Wilton Rebolo moving into the position. Rebolo joins Jardel Vettorato and Lucas Abud in the front-row, both of whom started against Racing 92.
Rebolo is one of three changes named to face the Georgia XV. Also coming into the side are Luiz Vieira and Robert Tenório. Vieira replaces veteran Lucas Piero in the second-row and Tenório takes-over from Stefano Giantorno.
Friday’s match will be the first between the sides. The representational difference going into the match is that Brazil’s roster is the country’s genuine test squad while the Georgia XV is the national ‘A’ side. This, though, does not give Brazil any advantage given the quality of players they are to go up against.
Despite a lack of history between the teams the overwhelming favorite to win is the Georgia XV. The Georgia XV impressed against the Argentina XV in the set-piece and Tedo Abzhandze’s kicked goals with deadly accuracy. The Georgia XV enter as favorites to win by 10 points.
GEORGIA XV
15 Beka Mamukashvili, 14 Demur Tapladze, 13 Revaz Jinjikhadze, 12 Guram Kandaurishvili, 11 Aka Tabutsadze, 10 Tedo Abzhandadze, 9 Giorgi Margalitadze, 8 Nikoloz Sukhashvili, 7 Beka Saghinadze, 6 Guram Shengelia, 5 Gela Shalamberidze, 4 Tornike Akubardia, 3 Tariel Donadze, 2 Giorgi Chkoidze (capt.), 1 Mikhel Oragvelidze
Replacements: 16 Jorji Saldadze, 17 Goga Khuroshvili, 18 Mikheil Psuturi, 19 Sandro Mamamtavrishvili, 20 Khvicha Bujiashvili, 21 Arsen Trapaiadze, 22 Giorgi Kakauridze, 23 Davit Kldiashvili, 24 Temur Iremadze, 25 Irakli Svanidze, 26 Davit Gobejishvili
BRAZIL
15 Daniel Sancery, 14 Lucas Tranquez, 13 Felipe Sancery, 12 Moisés Duque, 11 Robert Tenório, 10 Josh Reeves, 9 Lucas Duque, 8 André Arruda, 7 Arthur Bergo, 6 Cléber Dias, 5 Gabriel Paganini, 4 Luiz Vieira, 3 Jardel Vettorato (capt.), 2 Wilton Rebolo, 1 Lucas Abud
Replacements: 16 David Muller, 17 Caíque Silva, 18 Matheus Rocha, 19 Lucas Piero, 20 Michael Moraes, 21 Daniel Lima, 22 Stefano Giantorno, 23 De Wet van Niekerk, 24 Matheus Claudio, 25 Valentin Garcia
Date: Friday, August 03
Venue: Mikheil Meskhi Stadium, Tbilisi
Kickoff: 9:30pm local (2:30pm Brasilia)
Referee: Tornike Gvirjishvili (Georgia)
Assistants: Saba Abulashvili (Georgia), Sulkhan Chikhladze (Georgia)
TMO: Shota Tevadze (Georgia)
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