Important win for Georgia

Lelos defeat Leones

In a vital World Cup qualifier in Tblissi Georgia beat Spain 37-23 on Saturday, thus keeping the Lelos' hopes alive of qualifying for the World Cup in France

The defeat has dashed Spanish hopes of repeating their 1999 success when they went to the World Cup.

There were some 10 000 spectators in the Lokomotivi Stadium, vocal in their support of the home side.

Spain actually scored first.  Two penalty goals by flyhalf Esteban Roqué gave the visitors a 6-0 lead after just ten minutes, but two tries in five minutes, both converted, put Georgia 14-6 ahead after 25 minutes.  For the first the forwards, expected to be the Georgian strong point, mauled over the line for a try by No.8 Besarioni Udesiani and the second was scored by prop David Zirakashvili, both converted by fullback Malkhaz Urjukashvili.

Roqué and Urjukashvili exchanged penalties to make the score 17-9 at half-time.  Two mistakes had cost Spain dearly, but there had been enough in the first half to give Spain hope.

Hopes were dashed early in the second half when Urjukashvili added another penalty when Óscar Astarloa was sent to the sin bin.  In his absence Georgia added a third try, by replacement prop Avtandil Kopaliani, to take the score to 27-9 and two minutes later added a fourth, by fullback Urjukashvili who had a good afternoon.  34-9.  Spain was buried.

Still the Lions fought back with two tries - the first by fullback César Sempere, the second by Juan González, the first converted by Sempere, the second by replacement flyhalf Andrei Kovalenco.  Inside centre Irakli Giorgadze completed the scoring with a dropped goal five minutes before the final whistle.

Scorers:

For Georgia:
Tries:  Udesiani, Zirakashvili, Kopaliani, Urjukashvili
Cons:  Urjukashvili 4
Pens:  Urjukashvili 2
Drop:  Giorgadze

For Spain:
Tries:  Sempere, González
Cons:  Sempere 2
Pens:  Roque 3

Teams:

Georgia:  15 Malkhaz Urjukashvili, 14 Besiki Khamashuridze, 13 Rezo Gigauri, 12 Irakli Giorgadze, 11 Giorgi Shkinin, 10 Otar Barkalaia, 9 Bidzina Samkharadze, 8 Besarioni Udesiani, 7 Zviad Maisuradze, 6 Rati Urushadze, 5 Mamuka Gorgodze, 4 Ilia Zedginidze, 3 David Zirakashvili, 2 Akvsenti Giorgadze, 1 Goderdzi Shvelidze.
Replacements:  16 David Khinchagashvili, 17 Avtandil Kopaliani, 18 Giorgi Nemsadze, 19 Shalva Sutiashvili, 20 Irakli Abuseridze, 21 David Kacharava, 22 Giorgi Elizbarashvili

Spain:  15 César Sempere, 14 David Mota, 13 Alvar Enciso, 12 Javier Canosa, 11 Rafael Álvarez, 10 Esteban Roqué, 9 Pablo Feijóo, 8 Oscar Astarloa, 7 ,Alfonso Mata 6 Rafael Camacho, 5 César Bernasconi, 4 Andrew Ebbet, 3 Javier Salazar, 2 Mathieu Cidre, 1 Miguel Burgaleta.
Replacements:  16 José Maria Bohorquez, 17 Ion Insausti, 18 Sergio Souto, 19 Juan González, 20 Facundo Lavino, 21 Andrei Kovalenco, 22 Ignacio Martín

Referee:  Peter Allan (Scotland)
Touch judges:  Graeme Hannah, Jim Yuille (both Scotland)