RWC 2019 – The Competitors – Georgia

One of the success stories of the expansion of RWCs from 16 to 20 teams has been Georgia. The former Soviet Republic debuted in RWC 2003 and, despite being winless, would give South Africa a freight. Three years later the Lelos would finish third in their pool.

In their second RWC Georgia were again a threat to a major power. This time it was Ireland who found themselves in trouble. Brian O’Driscoll’s side would hang-on to win a nail-bitter 14-10. Georgia followed that up by claiming an emphatic 13-0 win over Namibia.

Not only were Georgia improving but they were also gaining notable praise with their forward pack at the level of the elite. In RWC 2011 Georgia kept Scotland tryless in a 15-6 defeat. The campaign also saw England, and Argentina pushed and a classy win over Romania.

Any doubters were silenced at RWC 2015 when Georgia opened their campaign by claiming a 17-10 win over Tonga. Champions New Zealand would be unable to play their usual rugby as the Lelos came to play. Despite falling to a 43-10 defeat it saw the All Blacks scoring 25 points less than expected. Georgia would round out their campaign by defeating Namibia 17-16 to qualify directly for RWC 2019.

 

WORLD CUP HISTORY

RWC	FINAL PLACING	RESULTS
1987	Did Not Exist (Part of USSR)	–
1991	Did Not Exist (Part of USSR)	–
1995	Did Not Qualify	–
1999	Did Not Qualify	–
2003	Group Stage	Lost vs England, Samoa, South Africa, Uruguay
2007	Group Stage	Won vs Namibia Lost vs Argentina, France, Ireland
2011	Group Stage	Won vs Romania Lost vs Argentina, England, Scotland
2015	Group Stage	Won vs Namibia, Tonga Lost vs Argentina, New Zealand

Overall record: Played 16, Won 4, Lost 12

 

RWC 2019 SCHEDULE

Having qualified automatically for RWC 2019 Georgia will have been hoping for a friendlier draw than that which have received. In Pool D they have the daunting assignment of having been drawn with Fiji, a team who qualified. Added to this are the world class sides that are Australia, and Wales.

However in terms of the overall picture Georgia have been fortunate to be pooled in Group D. It is a pool of opportunities compared to Pools B, and C. Overall it is not notably different to that which Georgia experienced in RWC 2015 in England, and Wales.

The Lelos will begin on day four of the pool phase and finish with two full match days remaining. Their scheduling sees a manageable match order and also sees games exclusively on the largest Japanese island, Honshu.

Head Coach Milton Haig will be required to carefully map out the pool fixtures. Georgia have been given the challenging assignment of five rest days between Wales, and Uruguay; and three between Uruguay, and Fiji. While they do have the luxury of playing Australia eight days after Fiji it is games 1 to 3 which are vital.

Based on the match dates it is logical to conclude that Georgia will be at full strength against Wales, Fiji, and Australia. The Haig regime will need to make a tough call about how to approach the match against Uruguay. Do they rotate against Los Teros to then put everything into the higher ranked Fiji? The mere fact that this needs to be considered underlines that Brett Gosper, and World Rugby have badly let down Georgia.

DATE	OPPONENT	VENUE
Mon, Sept 23	Wales	Toyota Stadium, Toyota
Sun, Sept 29	Uruguay	Kumagaya Stadium, Kumagaya
Thur, Oct 03	Fiji	Hanazono Rugby Stadium, Osaka
Fri, Oct 11	Australia	ECOPA Stadium, Shizuoka

 

PREDICTED TRAVELING 31

Forwards: Jaba Bregvadze (Sunwolves, JP), Shalva Mamukashvili (Enisei-STM, RUS), Mikheil Narisahvili (Montpellier, FR), Zurab Zhvania (Wasps), Levan Chilachava (Montpellier, FR), Guram Gogichsahvili (Racing 92, FR), Davit Kubriashvili (Grenoble, FR), Nodar Cheishvili (Cornish Pirates, UK), Konstantin Mikautadze (Montpellier, FR), Giorgi Nemadze (Ospreys, UK), Shalva Sutiashvili (Charente, FR), Beka Bitsadze (Narbonne, FR), Otar Giorgadze (Brive, FR), Beka Gorgadze (Bordeaux, FR), Viktor Kolelishvili (Clermont, FR), Giorgi Tkhiliaishvili (Batumi), Giorgi Tsutskeridze (Aurillac, FR)

Backs: Gela Aprasidze (Montpellier, FR), Vasil Lobzhanidze (Brive, FR), Tedo Abzhandadze (Brive, FR), Lasha Khmaladze (Batumi), Davit Kacharava (Enisei-STM, RUS), Giorgi Kveseladze (Armazi), Lasha Malaguradze (VVA Saracens, RUS), Tamaz Mchedlidze (Agen, FR), Merab Sharikadze (Aurillac, FR), Zurab Dzneladze (Locomotive),  Giorgi Kvesaladze (Armazi), Giorgi Koshadze (Rustavi Kharebi), Miriani Modebadze (Aia Kutaisi), Soso Matiashvili (Lelo Saracens)

PROJECTED MATCH-DAY LINE-UP

1 Mikheil Nariashvili, 2 Jaba Bregvadze, 3 Levan Chilachava, 4 Konstantin Mikautadze, 5 Giorgi Nemadze, 6 Otar Giorgadze, 7 Viktor Kolelishvili, 8, Beka Gorgadze, 9 Gela Aprasidze, 10 Tedo Abzhandadze, 11, 12 Tamaz Mchedlidze, 13 Merab Sharikadze, 14 Giorgi Koshadze, 15 Soso Matiashvili

Replacements: 16 Shalva Mamukashvili, 17 Zurab Zhvania, 18 Davit Kubriashvili, 19 Nodar Cheishvili, 20 Beka Bitsadze, 21 Vasil Lobzhanidze, 22 Lasha Khmaladze, 23 Giorgi Kvesaladze

 

Key Back: Gela Aprasidze
Key Forward: Mikheil Nariashvili
Talisman: Beka Gorgadze

 

RWC 2019 PREDICTION

In 2016 the Lelos made history by defeating Fiji, Samoa, and Tonga. They would follow it up by winning against Canada, and the USA in both home-and-away matches in 2017. Then in 2018 Georgia would record two wins over Tonga, and one over Samoa.

Georgia go into the tournament as the odds-on favorite to defeat Uruguay. A win over Fiji would go down as being an upset albeit a minor rather than a major one. Obtaining a win against either Australia, or Wales would go down as the greatest win in Georgian rugby history.

The odds thereby point to Georgia coming away with a 1-3 record in Japan 2019. This would see Georgia finishing fourth in Pool D and require the Eastern Europeans to earn their place at RWC 2023 through the regional qualifying phase.

 

Week 1 – Italy
Week 2 – Fiji
Week 3 – Japan
Week 4 – England
Week 5 – Namibia
Week 6 – Wales
Week 7 – Samoa
Week 8 – France
Week 9 – South Africa
Week 10 – Georgia
Week 11 – Scotland