Ireland edge tenacious Georgia
NATIONS CUP REPORT: Ireland secured a Nations Cup play-off against Scotland next weekend with an edgy 23-10 victory over tenacious Georgia at Lansdowne Road on Sunday.
Billy Burns’ 15 points on his first Test start was the highlight of the hosts’ performance.
It was a much-improved performance by the away team after failing to register a point in their previous two matches and they will hope Covid-affected Fiji are able to field a side next weekend in their play-off.
The game was preceded by a minute’s silence for the late French great Christophe Dominici with a photo of him on one of his jinking runs and the words Rest In Peace showing on the big screen.
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— Autumn Nations Cup 🏉 (@autumnnations) November 29, 2020
Burns took less than 10 minutes of his maiden Test start to score his first try for Ireland running onto a brilliant pop pass by Chris Farrell. The Ulster flyhalf converted for 7-0.
Burns added a penalty soon after as Irish pressure provoked Georgia into conceding penalties.
However, a bit of individual brilliance by Giorgi Kveseladze saw the Georgians score their first points of the competition taking full-back Soso Matiashvili’s pass inside his half.
He went on a mazy run sending Jacob Stockdale the wrong way and breaking a Burns tackle to touch down and being mobbed by his teammates.
Once the Georgian celebrations had died down flyhalf Tedo Abzhandadze collected himself and converted for 10-7.
Burns gave the Irish some breathing space converting a penalty for 13-7.
A superb passage of play from the hosts, beginning with Conor Murray’s box kick collected brilliantly by Hugo Keenan was just the pep the Irish needed.
Ireland hooker Rob Herring went close to scoring their second try but a Georgian player succeeded in preventing him touching the ball down on the line.
Hugo Keenan did secure their second try as the wing was picked out by Stockdale’s long pass and went in at the corner.
Burns boot converted from wide out on the right for 20-7.
The Irish looked to have put the game to bed when Stuart McCloskey marked his first cap for two years touching down but Stockdale’s pass was ruled forward.
The Irish went close again as the clock ticked into over-time in the first-half but Georgian flank Tornike Jalagonia held up James Ryan.
It left the Ireland captain shaking his head and the visitors slender hopes of a famous win alive.
That was about as good as it got for Ireland as their performance fell away in the second-half.
Burns impressive first start came to a premature end in the 45th minute, replaced by Ross Byrne after taking a knock.
Irish nerves were kept jangling as Abzhandadze slotted over a penalty for 20-10.
Byrne put Ireland 13 points clear with a penalty as the hour mark approached with the Georgians tenaciously hanging on.
The Irish pressed hard to score a third try but CJ Stander was again held on the line and the visitors cleared.
It was the Georgians who had smiles on their faces at the final whistle and the hosts who looked downcast.
The scorers:
For Ireland:
Tries: Burns, Keenan
Cons: Burns 2
Pens: Burns 2, Byrne
For Georgia:
Try: Kveseladze
Con: Abzhandadze
Pen: Abzhandadze
Teams:
Ireland: 15 Jacob Stockdale, 14 Hugo Keenan, 13 Chris Farrell, 12 Stuart McCloskey, 11 Keith Earls, 10 Billy Burns, 9 Conor Murray, 8 CJ Stander, 7 Will Connors, 6 Tadhg Beirne, 5 James Ryan (captain), 4 Iain Henderson, 3 Andrew Porter, 2 Rob Herring, 1 Finlay Bealham.
Replacements: 16 Dave Heffernan, 17 Cian Healy, 18 John Ryan, 19 Quinn Roux, 20 Peter O’Mahony, 21 Kieran Marmion, 22 Ross Byrne, 22 Shane Daly.
Georgia: 15 Soso Matiashvili, 14 Akaki Tabutsadze, 13 Giorgi Kveseladze, 12 Merab Sharikadze (captain), 11 Tamaz Mchedlidze, 10 Tedo Abzhandadze, 9 Vasil Lobzhanidze, 8 Beka Gorgadze, 7 Tornike Jalagonia, 6 Beka Saginadze, 5 Lasha Jaiani, 4 Nodar Cheishvili, 3 Beka Gigashvili, 2 Shalva Mamukashvili, 1 Mikheil Nariashvili.
Replacements: 16 Giorgi Chkoidze, 17 Lexo Kaulashvili, 18 Giorgi Melikidze, 19 Giorgi Javakhia, 20 Mikheil Gachechiladze, 21 Mikheil Alania, 22 Demur Tapladze, 23 David Niniashvili
Referee: Mathieu Raynal
Assistant referees: Luke Pearce, Andrea Piardi
TMO: Marius Mitrea
The final #AutumnNationsCup standings 👇 pic.twitter.com/DOE3trocDk
— Autumn Nations Cup 🏉 (@autumnnations) November 29, 2020
