RWC Pool D Preview – Australia vs Georgia

In the final pool fixture for Australia and Georgia the countries will officially begin international competition. The Friday fixture is to be the first ever between the countries but it certainly will not be the last. Australia are a two-time RWC champion while Georgia are a rising force packed with professional players.

Michael Cheika has moved around the pieces for the Wallabies. Changes come all across the starting line-up including in the captaincy as Michael Hooper drops to the bench. This sees Jack Dempsey starting at flanker; Fijian import Isi Naisarani at N8; and David Pocock named as captain to complete the back-row.

In the front five Izack Rodda and Rory Arnold will lock the scrum while tight head Sekope Kepu will earn his 110th cap for the Wallabies.

The backline sees another change at fly half. Starting this time will be Matt To’omua who played inside center against Uruguay on Saturday. This sees Christian Leali’ifano named on the bench and Bernard Foley missing out.

The centers and back-three can only be described as the first choice line-up. This includes 19-year-old rookie Jordan Petaia who joins Curtly Beale, and Fijian import Marika Koroibete in the back-three. The star vs Los Teros, Tevita Kuridrani misses out with James O’Connor joining and Samu Kerevi in the mid-field.

Georgia Head Coach Milton Haig has retained thirteen of the players who started against Fiji. The two changes see Gela Aprasidze replacing Vasil Lobzhanidze at scrum half; and Beka Saginadze taking over from Giorgi Tkhilaishvili in the back row. Lobzhanidze and Tkhilaishvili have both been named as replacements.

Veteran Maumuka Gorgodze will make his 15th appearance in a RWC match. This sees him drawing level with the record held by former fly half Merab Kvirikashvili.

With there having been no prior matches between Australia and Georgia there is no official means of comparing the teams. Based on World Rankings, prior results in RWC 2019 and results in recent years it is fair to conclude that the Wallabies are expected to win. ARN predicts an Australian bonus point victory by a margin of 18 points.

 

TEAMS

AUSTRALIA
1 Scott Sio, 2 Tolu Latu, 3 Sekope Kepu, 4 Izack Rodda, 5 Rory Arnold, 6 Jack Dempsey, 7 David Pocock (capt.), 8 Isi Naisarani, 9 Nic White, 10 Matt To’omua, 11 Marika Koroibete, 12 Samu Kerevi, 13 James O’Connor, 14 Jordan Petaia, 15 Kurtley Beale

Replacements: 16 Jordan Uelese, 17 James Slipper, 18 Taniela Tupou, 19 Adam Coleman, 20 Michael Hooper, 21 Will Genia, 22 Christian Leali’ifano, 23 Dane Haylett-Petty

GEORGIA
1 Mikheil Nariashvili, 2 Shalva Mamukashvili, 3 Beka Gigashvili, 4 Giorgi Nemsadze, 5 Konstantine Mikautadze, 6 Beka Saginadze, 7 Mamuka Gorgodze, 8 Beka Gorgadze, 9 Gela Aprasidze, 10 Lasha Khmaladze, 11 Alexander Todua, 12 Merab Sharikadze (capt.), 13 David Kacharava, 14 Giorgi Kveseladze, 15 Soso Matiashvili

Replacements: 16 Jaba Bregvadze, 17 Guram Gogichashvili, 18 Giorgi Melikidze, 19 Otari Giorgadze, 20 Giorgi Tkhilaishvili, 21 Vasil Lobzhanidze, 22 Lasha Malaguradsze, 23 Tamaz Mchedlidze

Date: Friday, October 11
Kick-Off: 7:15pm local (03:15 Pacific, 06:15 Eastern, 07:15 Rio de la Plata)
Venue: Stadium Ecopa, Shizuoka
Referee: Pascal Gauzere (France)
Assistants: Jerome Garces (France), Shuhei Kobo (Japan)
TMO: Marius Jonker (South Africa)