Preview: Georgia v Fiji

WORLD CUP POOL MATCH: Fiji will look to put the ignominy of a winless start – including the shock loss to Uruguay – behind them.

Fiji was one of the teams fancied to cause an upset.

Except they were on the wrong side of that upset and must now put the record straight against Georgia in Osaka.

The Fijians lost 21-39 to Australia in their opening fixture, before being stunned 30-27 by Uruguay.

Georgia is expected to offer less resistance than their previous two opponents, but Fiji knows just how costly complacency can be.

Provided Pool D leaders Wales and Australia avoid any dramatic upsets at the hands of their Tier Two opponents, Thursday’s clash will likely decide third place in the group and, with it, the all-important automatic qualification berth for World Cup 2023.

The Flying Fijians, wounded after two opening defeats but buoyed by the bonus points they claimed along the way, can leapfrog the Lelos into third place with a win.

Influential forward Peceli Yato is back in the side after his concussion against Australia and starting at No.8 for only the third time in his Test career.

The Georgians will no doubt aim to counter Fiji’s movement by focusing on the tried and trusted forward dominance that steamrollered Uruguay in Kumagaya four days ago.

Following heavy squad rotation in their opening two matches, Georgia’s coaching staff have opted for their most-seasoned starting XV yet in Japan in terms of World Cup experience.

The Lelos will field only four of the starters who defeated Uruguay, meaning most of the bodies on the pitch at kick-off will be well-rested despite the four-day turnaround.

Regular skipper Merab Sharikadze reclaims the captain’s armband as he makes the starting line-up for the first time at World Cup 2019, alongside four-time World Cup campaigners Mamuka Gorgodze and David Kacharava.

“You’d be fair in saying that if Georgia wins this game, we’ll qualify for the next World Cup,” coach Milton Haig said after the Lelos announced the squad.

“Nobody else could catch us unless there are some huge, huge upsets. So we are confident that if we get this job done, we’ll have qualified [for World Cup 2023].

“This is what we’ve worked hard for over the past three years. It’s come down to this and we always knew it would.”

Fiji, on the other hand, will be looking at third place as more of a consolation prize, having come into the tournament under a dark-horse banner with high hopes of progressing through the pool stage.

“There is a lot at stake in the game on Thursday and, looking at other results, that may have a bearing on the final pool placings,” said coach John McKee, who, like Haig, hails from New Zealand.

“But it’s not only the play-offs. Finishing third in the pool is also important because it gives us automatic qualification for the next World Cup.

“The players obviously believe that they still have a lot to show the world and what Fiji is capable of. That’s our motivation for the match – not only to match Georgia in the critical parts of the game, and particularly around the set-piece and breakdown, but to create some opportunities for us in attack to ease our attacking talents.”

Fiji’s starting XV, like Georgia’s, is made up mostly of players from their opening match (against Australia), with 11 changes to the starters that lost to Uruguay.

Players to watch

For Fiji: They made 11 changes to the XV that started against Uruguay. Only Manasa Saulo, Leone Nakarawa, Dominiko Waqaniburotu, pictured above against Uruguay, and Semi Radradra return. Thirteen of the XV who started against Australia in their opening World Cup 2019 game return for this match. Manasa Saulo (who starts instead of Peni Ravai) and Semi Kunatani (who starts instead of Viliame Mata) are the only differences. Perhaps most notably for Fiji, Peceli Yato returns after missing the Uruguay match. He left the field with concussion in the Australia game, which Fiji lost 39-21.

For Georgia: The starting XV features 12 of the players who started in the opening 14-43 loss to Wales. Lasha Khmaladze, Alexander Todua and Merab Sharikadze replace Miriani Modebadze (on the bench), Tedo Abzhandadze and Tamaz Mchedlidze, with the latter two left out of the squad. Only second row Konstantin Mikautadze and winger Giorgi Kveseladze will have started all three of the Lelos’ World Cup 2019 matches come kick-off on Thursday. Player of the Match against Uruguay, Otari Giorgadze, is also on the bench, alongside fellow youngsters Guram Gogichashvili, Beka Saginadze, and Gela Aprasidze. Stand-in captain for the Uruguay game, Jaba Bregvadze, is also a replacement.

Previous results

2018: Fiji won 37-15, Suva
2016: Georgia won 14-3, Suva
2012: Fiji won 24-19, Tbilisi

Prediction: Fiji has had a nightmare start to the World Cup and will want to avoid a third consecutive defeat. They will look to give some of their big men out wide plenty of time on the ball and if they can achieve that, they should be able to earn their first win of the tournament – Fiji by 15 points.

The Teams

Georgia: 15 Soso Matiashvili, 14 Giorgi Kveseladze, 13 David Kacharava, 12 Merab Sharikadze (captain), 11 Alexander Todua, 10 Lasha Khmaladze, 9 Vasil Lobzhanidze, 8 Beka Gorgadze, 7 Mamuka Gorgodze, 6 Giorgi Tkhilaishvili, 5 Konstantine Mikautadze, 4 Giorgi Nemsadze, 3 Beka Gigashvili, 2 Shalva Mamukashvili, 1 Mikheil Nariashvili.
Replacements: 16 Jaba Bregvadze, 17 Guram Gogichashvili, 18 Levan Chilachava, 19 Otari Giorgadze, 20 Beka Saginadze, 21 Gela Aprasidze, 22 Lasha Malaguradze, 23 Miriani Modebadze.

Fiji: 15 Kini Murimurivalu, 14 Josua Tuisova, 13 Waisea Nayacalevu, 12 Lepani Botia, 11 Semi Radradra, 10 Ben Volavola, 9 Frank Lomani, 8 Peceli Yato, 7 Semi Kunatani, 6 Dominiko Waqaniburotu (captain), 5 Leone Nakarawa, 4 Tevita Cavubati, 3 Manasa Saulo, 2 Samuel Matavesi, 1 Campese Ma’afu.
Replacements: 16 Tuvere Vugakoto, 17 Eroni Mawi, 18 Peni Ravai, 19 Apisalome Ratuniyarawa, 20 Viliame Mata, 21 Nikola Matawalu, 22 Jale Vatubua, 23 Josh Matavesi.

Date: Thursday, October 3
Venue: Hanazono Stadium, Osaka Prefecture, Higashiosaka City
Kick-off: 14.15 (17.15 Fiji time; 09.15 Georgia time; 05.15 GMT)
Referee: Paul Williams (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Jaco Peyper (South Africa), Matthew Carley (England)
TMO: Graham Hughes (England)