Georgia knock off Italian understudies
Georgia ended their IRB Nations Cup campaign on a high by recording a tense 22-20 victory over Italy at the Arcul de Triumf stadium in Bucharest on Saturday.
Defying the scorching heat in the Romanian capital, the Italians started strongly and kept pounding the Georgian line, but haste and a certain lack of poise in the opposition 22 prevented them from turning their authority into scoring opportunities.
In an exciting match in which the lead changed hands five times, the well-organised Georgian defence, marshalled by scrum half and captain Irakli Abuseridze, forced Italy A to rely on the boot of Luciano Orquera to put points on the board.
The reliable Brive fly-half landed four penalties to Georgia’s solitary try – scored by their abrasive number eight Giorgio Chkaidze – and subsequent conversion to give Italy A the 12-7 lead at the break.
After half time Georgia kept their composure and following a counter-attack veteran centre Malkhaz Urjukashvili went over for a well-taken try, converted by fly half Merab Kvirikashvili to enable his country to retake the lead.
Another Italian attack ended with Orquera landing a penalty as his side moved back into the driving seat. The stern Georgian challenge up front, though, created time and space for the East Europeans, forcing the Italians on their back foot for most of the second half.
A tentative kick ahead by Italy A was fielded by Georgia’s right wing Giorgi Shkinin, who launched a blistering counter-attack in midfield. Replacement loosehead prop Davit Dadunashvili carried the move forward with a surprising turn of speed and agility before being brought down well into the Italian half.
Abuseridze, who arrived in hot pursuit, swept the ball wide to find Shkinin and the wing went over for a spectacular try. Italy A did bounce back with a try by their dynamic right wing Michele Sepe, although it was too little and too late to change the outcome as the conversion went wide.
A buoyant Georgian side, who had beaten Rugby World Cup opponents Namibia in their first match before losing bravely to the Emerging Springboks, deserved the victory that leaves Italy A without a win in the tournament, having also been beaten by Argentina A and Romania.
The scorers:
For Italy A:
Try: Sepe
Pens: Orquera 5
For Georgia:
Tries: Chkaidze, Urjukashvili, Shkinin
Cons: Kvirikashvili 2
Pen: Kvirikashvili
The teams:
Italy A: 15 Andrea Marcato, 14 Michele Sepe, 13 Alberto Sgarbi, 12 Matteo Barbini, 11 Michele Nitoglia, 10 Luciano Orquera, 9 Pino Patelli, 8 David Dal Maso (captain), 7 Jaco Erasmus, 6 Paul Derbyshire, 5 Mario Vella, 4 Enrico Pavanello, 3 Lorenzo Cittadini, 2 Luigi Ferraro, 1 Luigi Milani.
Replacements: 16 Giovanni Boccalon, 17 Leonardo Ghiraldini, 18 Alberto De Marchi, 19 Aldo Birchall, 20 Fabrizio Parisse, 21 Nicola Leonardi , 22 Giovanni Manozzi, 23 Ludovico Nitoglia, 24 Walter Pozzebon, 25 Marco Rosa, 26 Aaron Persico.
Georgia: 15 Otar Barkalaia, 14 Girogi Shkinin,13 Malkhaz Urjukashvili, 12 David Katcharava, 11 Otar Eloshvili, 10 Merab Kvirikashvili, 9 Irakli Abuseridze (captain), 8 Giorgi Chkhaidze, 7 Zviad Maisuradze, 6 Rati Urushadze, 5 Viktor Didebulidze, 4 Zurab Mchedlishvili, 3 David Khinchagashvili, 2 Irakli Chkonia, 1 Mamuka Magrakvelidze.
Replacements: 16 Iuri Natriashvili, 17 Elizbar Kuparadze, 18 David Dadunashvili, 19 Levan Datunashvili, 20 Bidzina Samkharadze, 21 Davit Gurgenidze, 22 Besiki Khamashuridze, 23 Ilia Maisuradze, 24 Georgi Jgenti, 25 Shalva Sutiashvili, 26 Revaz Gigauri.
With thanks to the IRB
