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The Argentina XV recovered from an 11-point first half deficit to upset Georgia 30-24 at Kutaisi on Sunday. Extreme heat saw judicial water breaks for players but it did not take away from an exciting spectacle. In the end it was the accurate set piece and driving maul of the visitors that proved the difference.
Georgia opened the scoring from a set move at the scrum. Akaki Tabutsadze entered the line from the short side and set Tedo Abzhandadze free. A huge cut-out pass found Davit Niniashvili and the fullback won the race to the corner. Abzhandadze added the conversion from wide out.
Geronimo Prisciantelli got the Argentines on the board with a penalty goal, but the Georgians fired back with a second try. After their own maul was stalled, the ball went wide where Niniashvili cut back inside and offloaded to Abzhandadze in support for the try. Abzhandadze converted his own score and the score jumped to 14-3 for the Lelos.
Successful kicks from Prisciantelli on either side of halftime reduced the gap to just 5 points. Tomas Albornoz took over at flyhalf and his grubber in behind the defense just barely eluded Lucas Mensa. Instead the lineout did the job, with Santiago Socino on the end of the maul to get the credit. Albornoz converted to give his team their first lead of the game.
Shortly after the restart it was the lineout again that set the platform. The ball came off the top and Mensa hit the line, dummying his way through and completing the two-on-one with Santiago Ruiz racing clear untouched. It was a simple chip for two points for Albornoz.
The Georgians pressed deep into Argentine territory but then conceded a scrum penalty. Eliseo Morales delivered a 50/22 to win an attacking lineout. Though the Lelos prevented the maul, Bautista Bernasconi wrestled his way out of a tackle and over to put the result beyond doubt.
With time expired the home side would get a consolation score through Nodar Cheishvili, the big lock bashing over from close range. Abzhandadze dropped the conversion through the posts to end the game.
The Argentina XV continue their tour against Portugal in Lisbon next Saturday. Georgia will stay at home to host Italy at Batumi Stadium on Sunday.
SCORING
GEORGIA 24
Tries – D. Niniashvili (8′), T. Abzhandadze (23′), N. Cheishvili (80′)
Cons – T. Abzhandadze 3/3 (9′, 24′, 80’+1′)
Pens – T. Abzhandadze 1/1 (51′)
ARGENTINA XV 30
Tries – S. Socino (58′), S. Ruiz (61′), B. Bernasconi (72′)
Cons – T. Albornoz 3/3 (59′, 62′, 73′)
Pens – G. Prisciantelli 3/3 (14′, 29′, 49′)
TEAMS
GEORGIA
1 Guram Gogichashvili (17 Nikoloz Khatiashvili 63′), 2 Jaba Bregvadze (16 Shalva Mamukashvili 51′), 3 Luka Japaridze (18 Guram Papidze 58′), 4 Lasha Jaiani, 5 Kote Mikautadze (19 Nodar Cheishvili 56′), 6 Otar Giorgadze (20 Luka Ivanishvili 60′), 7 Beka Saghinadze, 8 Beka Gorgadze, 9 Vaso Lobzhanidze (21 Mikheil Alania 74′), 10 Tedo Abzhandadze, 11 Sandro Todua (23 Demur Tapladze 71′), 12 Merab Sharikadze (capt.), 13 Giorgi Kveseladze, 14 Akaki Tabutsadze, 15 Davit Niniashvili (22 Lasha Khmaladze 63′)
ARGENTINA XV
1 Facundo Gigena (17 Ignacio Calles 60′), 2 Santiago Socino (16 Bautista Bernasconi 63′), 3 Santiago Medrano (18 Enrique Pieretto 60′), 4 Franco Molina, 5 Nahuel Milán (20 Andrea Panzarini 71′), 6 Tomás Lezana, 7 Francisco Gorrissen (capt.), 8 Joaquín Oviedo (19 Santiago Ruiz 53′), 9 Eliseo Morales, 10 Gerónimo Prisciantelli (21 Tomás Albornoz 51′), 11 Julián Domínguez (23 Facundo Cordero 51′), 12 Lucas Mensa, 13 Agustín Segura, 14 Sebastián Cancelliere (22 Mateo Carreras 60′), 15 Martín Bogado
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy)
Assistants: Sam Grove-White (Scotland) & Luc Ramos (France)
TMO: Matteo Lipperini (Italy)
