Georgian muscle brings Uruguay down to earth in Kumagaya

Georgia got a good win over Uruguay. Photo: Shuji Kajiyama/AP Photo

Georgia got a good win over Uruguay. Photo: Shuji Kajiyama/AP Photo

Published Sep 29, 2019

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KUMAGAYA – Georgia's forwards

brought Uruguay back down to earth with a shuddering thump as

they laid the foundation for a 33-7 bonus-point victory in their

World Cup Pool D clash in stifling heat in Kumagaya on Sunday. 

Uruguay finished the game with 14 men after replacement

hooker Facundo Gattas was red carded by referee Wayne Barnes for

a high, no-arms, tackle with three minutes remaining.

Amid searing heat and high humidity, the match had two

officially-sanctioned water breaks at the 20 and 60-minute

marks. 

Led by number eight Otari Giorgadze and captain Jaba

Bregvadze, the Georgians applied even more pressure on the

Uruguayan pack, who wilted just four days after producing a

massive upset against Fiji in Kamaishi. 

Los Teros were unable to reproduce enough of the sparkling

running rugby that earned them that win against the physical

Georgians.

Georgia had secured the bonus point by the 51st minute after

Giorgadze, Bregvadze and tighthead prop Levan Chilachava all

scored tries from close range while winger Alexander Todua

crossed after a simple movement from an attacking scrum. 

Centre Giorgi Kveseladze then capitalised on an Uruguay

mistake while clearing the ball at the tryline just before the

second water break. 

"We worked really hard and prepared well for this match, we

knew this was going to be a tough game, we wanted to make all

Georgians proud," said Bregvadze. 

 Georgia were beaten 43-14 by Wales in their opening game and

coach Milton Haig made 12 changes for the clash in Kumagaya

where he hoped his side would get back on track to secure

automatic qualification for the 2023 World Cup in France.

They did not deviate from their traditional strength with

their forwards dominating the set piece and proving too strong

in the contact area. 

The Europeans had looked like they might run away with the

match when Todua crossed in the eighth minute from a stable

attacking scrum and movement through the backs.

The game, however, then meandered between the 22-metre areas

for much of the next 20 minutes with Uruguay content to spoil

and defend, with several collapsed scrums slowing the pace of

the game down.

It eventually earned the ire of Barnes, who warned the

Uruguay front row that any further collapses would result in a

yellow card and the Georgians capitalised with number eight

Giorgadze smashing over.

Uruguay, however, found some attacking thrust and struck

back with winger Rodrigo Silva receiving an inside pass and

exploiting the gap at the tail of a lineout then passing to

inside centre Andres Vilaseca to score.

It was ultimately the only shot they fired in the match and

after Georgia went into the break with a 12-7 lead they ramped

up the pressure in the second half with tries to Chilachava,

Bregvadze and Kveseladze. 

Georgia next face Fiji in Osaka on Thursday for what could

be the decider for third place in the pool and automatic

qualification for France in 2023, while Uruguay play Australia

in Oita on Oct. 5. 

Reuters

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