Five-try Georgia too good for Uruguay

Georgia registered their first win at the 2019 Rugby World Cup when they beat Uruguay 33-7 in their Pool D encounter in Saitama on Sunday.

The Lelos were full value for their win as they were in control for long periods and their forwards deserve special praise as they laid the platform for this victory with a dominant display especially in the tight exchanges.

Uruguay, who announced themselves at the global event with a stunning win over Fiji in their tournament opener, could not replicate that performance and although they were competitive during the first half, they faded badly after half-time.  Los Teros finished the match with 14 men when Facundo Gattas was red carded for a shoulder charge to the head of Shalva Sutiashvili in the closing stages.

For Georgia, Alexander Todua, Otari Giorgadze, Levan Chilachava, Jaba Bregvadze and Giorgi Kveseladze crossed the whitewash and Tedo Abzhandadze succeeded with four conversions.

Andres Vilaseca scored Uruguay’s only try which was converted by Felipe Berchesi.

Georgia did most of the early attacking and were camped inside Uruguay’s half during the game’s first quarter.  In the ninth minute, the Lelos launched an attack from a scrum on Uruguay’s five-metre line and the ball was shifted wide to Todua, who opened the scoring when he dotted down in the left-hand corner.

The next 20 minutes was a slugfest as the sides tried to gain the ascendancy but that period was characterised by numerous unforced errors from both teams.

Georgia still held the upper hand though and on the half-hour mark they extended their lead when Giorgadze showed great power and determination before barging over for his team’s second try off the back of a scrum close to Los Teros’ try-line.

Abzhandadze slotted the conversion which meant Georgia held a deserved 12-0 lead but it did not take long for Uruguay to respond as shortly afterwards they narrowed the gap with a well-taken try.

This, after Los Teros launched an attack from a lineout just outside Georgia’s 22 with Rodrigo Silva breaching his opponents’ defence with a powerful run, before throwing an inside pass to Andres Vilaseca, who had an easy run-in next to the posts.

Berchesi added the extras and had a chance to score further points soon after when Guram Gogichashvili was penalised for an indiscretion at a ruck, but the Uruguay pivot pushed his shot at goal wide of the mark.

Congratulations to @Mastercard Player of the Match Otari Giorgadze who clocked up some huge stats during #GEOvURU

19 carries (#1)
81 metres (#1)
4 defenders beaten
1 clean break
2 offloads
1 try#StartSomethingPriceless #POTM #RWC2019 pic.twitter.com/4RmQBGooGP

— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) September 29, 2019

That meant that the match was evenly poised as the teams changed sides at the interval with Georgia holding a slender 12-7 lead.

But the Lelos were fastest out of the blocks in the second period and scored two unanswered converted tries inside the half’s first quarter.

First, another powerful run from Giorgadze inside Uruguay’s 22 was rounded off by Chilachava at close quarters in the 43rd minute, before Bregvadze secured the bonus point for his team when he crossed from a driving maul in the 52nd minute.

Two minutes later, the Georgian captain delivered a teasing chip kick which Silva gathered close to his try-line but he was caught in possession and spilled the ball before Kveseladze gathered and scored an easy five-pointer.

The final quarter was evenly contested but Uruguay’s misery was compounded when Gattas received his marching orders in the 75th minute, with Georgia easing to a victory that puts them third in Pool D.

The scorers:

For Georgia:
Tries:  Todua, Giorgadze, Chilachava, Bregvadze, Kveseladze
Cons:  Abzhandadze 4

For Uruguay:
Try:  Vilaseca
Con:  Berchesi
Red card:  Gattas

Georgia:  15 Lasha Khmaladze, 14 Zura Dzneladze, 13 Giorgi Kveseladze, 12 Lasha Malaguradze, 11 Alexander Todua, 10 Tedo Abzhandadze, 9 Gela Aprasidze, 8 Otari Giorgadze, 7 Beka Saginadze, 6 Shalva Sutiashvili, 5 Konstantine Mikautadze, 4 Lasha Lomidze, 3 Levan Chilachava, 2 Jaba Bregvadze (c), 1 Guram Gogichashvili
Replacements:  16 Vano Karkadze, 17 Beka Gigashvili, 18 Giorgi Melikidze, 19 Mamuka Gorgodze, 20 Beka Gorgadze, 21 Vasil Lobzhanidze, 22 Merab Sharikadze, 23 Soso Matiashvili

Uruguay:  15 Gaston Mieres, 14 Nicolas Freitas, 13 Juan Manuel Cat, 12 Andres Vilaseca, 11 Rodrigo Silva, 10 Felipe Berchesi, 9 Santiago Arata, 8 Alejandro Nieto, 7 Santiago Civetta, 6 Juan Manuel Gaminara (c), 5 Manuel Leindekar, 4 Ignacio Dotti, 3 Juan Pedro Rombys, 2 German Kessler, 1 Mateo Sanguinetti
Replacements:  16 Facundo Gattas, 17 Juan Echeverria, 18 Diego Arbelo, 19 Diego Magno, 20 Juan Diego Ormaechea, 21 Manuel Ardao, 22 Agustin Ormaechea, 23 Leandro Leivas

Referee:  Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant Referees:  Paul Williams (New Zealand), Alexandre Ruiz (France)
TMO:  Marius Jonker (South Africa)