Ireland knock over Georgia easily
Comments
0
An impressive second-half showing from Ireland saw them beat Georgia 49-7 at the Aviva Stadium on Sunday.
The triumph was marred by an unpunished stamp to debutant Dominic Ryan's face. The hosts were left incensed by flank Viktor Kolelishvili bringing his boot down on looseforward Ryan's face, but captain Eoin Reddan's complaints went unheeded by referee JP Doyle.
Ryan somehow escaped serious injury in a scrappy first-half, before Felix Jones claimed a brace and Dave Kilcoyne, Richardt Strauss, Simon Zebo and Stuart Olding all crossed, with Giorgi Nemsadze responding for Georgia.
Ireland will learn little from their routine victory in truth, with boss Joe Schmidt having made 13 changes from the side that saw off South Africa 29-15 a week earlier.
Schmidt's men host Australia next weekend, with a raft of senior stars all expected to return.
The hosts wasted a number of clear-cut chances in a tryless first-half, with Georgia dominating early set-piece exchanges.
Fullback Merab Kvirikashvili dragged an early shot at goal wide for the visitors, before Ian Madigan posted three penalties amid Ireland wasting plenty of territory and possession.
Schmidt's men should have scored following Kilcoyne's fine galloping break, and also when Darren Cave linked well with Reddan and Ryan.
Craig Gilroy spilled Cave's wide pass to leave another chance begging, and Ireland turned around 9-0 to the good with Georgia scrumhalf Giorgi Begadze in the sin-bin for killing the ball.
Ireland quickly broke their try duck after the restart, Kilcoyne driving home for his first Test score.
Schmidt's side racked up three more wasted chances to add to first-half frustrations, before Strauss capped a regulation driving maul to double the try count.
The usual raft of replacements brought Rodney Ah You into the fray, with Mike Ross withdrawn as Ireland eyed next week's Australia clash.
Connacht's Ah You threw a forward pass then conceded a quick penalty in an inauspicious arrival, allowing Georgia a foothold.
Then from a penalty lineout lock Nemsadze ghosted through flimsy defence to claim a try for the visitors.
Just when Ireland were expecting to burst the floodgates, they found themselves under the cosh. Zebo ran in Ireland's third score after a scrum deep in Georgia's 22, following a yellow card for number eight Dimitri Basilaia.
Lasha Malaguradze took a heavy bang to the head in the build-up to Zebo's try, receiving lengthy on-field treatment before being removed via stretcher.
Jones finished a smart Ireland move next, before capping a field-length break launched by a smart turnover from debutant replacement Robin Copeland.
Replacement centre Olding then glossed the scoreline still further late on as Schmidt's men completed their routine and expected victory. While Ireland negotiated this clash simply enough, Schmidt and friends know full well a challenge of an entirely different calibre awaits next weekend.
Man of the match: Robbie Diack looked good with ball in hand, as did Simon Zebo when he found space out wide. There were not to many stand-outs for the Georgians who played more as a unit. In the end Felix Jones deserves the prize for his two tries and his exciting running from the back.
Moment of the match: The first try by Dave Kilcoyne opened the flood gates in the second half and saw the Irish get into their stride.
Villain of the match: Viktor Kolelishvili deliberate stamp on Dominic Ryan should have been dealt with harshly but instead it was left unpunished by referee JP Doyle.
Scorers:
For Ireland:
Tries: Kilcoyne, Strauss, Zebo, Jones 2, Olding
Cons: Madigan 5
Pens: Madigan 3
For Georgia:
Try: Nemsadze
Con: Kvirikashvili
Yellow Cards: Giorgi Begadze (40 mins – repeated infringements at the breakdown), Dimitri Basilaia (60 mins -repeated infringements at the breakdown)
Ireland: 15 Felix Jones, 14 Craig Gilroy, 13 Darren Cave, 12 Gordon D'Arcy, 11 Simon Zebo, 10 Ian Madigan, 9 Eoin Reddan (captain), 8 Robbie Diack, 7 Tommy O'Donnell, 6 Dominic Ryan, 5 Mike McCarthy, 4 Dave Foley, 3 Mike Ross, 2 Richardt Strauss, 1 Dave Kilcoyne.
Replacements: 16 Sean Cronin, 17 Jack McGrath, 18 Rodney Ah You, 19 Devin Toner, 20 Robin Copeland, 21 Kieran Marmion, 22 Ian Keatley, 23 Stuart Olding.
Georgia:15 Merab Kvirikashvili, 14 Tamaz Mchedlidze, 13 David Kacharava , 12 Merab Sharikadze, 11 Sandro Todua, 10 Lasha Khmaladze, 9 Giorgi Begadze, 8 Dimitri Basilaia, 7 Vito Kolelishvili, 6 Giorgi Tkhilaishvili, 5 Giorgi Nemsadze, 4 Kote Mikautadze, 3 Davit Kubriashvili, 2 Shalva Mamukashvili, 1 Mikheil Nariashvili.
Replacements: 16 Simon Maisuradze, 17 Zurab Zhvania, 18 Levan Chilachava, 19 Levan Datunashvili, 20 Giorgi Chkhaidze, 21 Vazha Khutsishvili, 22 Lasha Malaguradze, 23 Muraz Giorgadze.
Referee: JP Doyle (England)
Assistant Referees: Luke Pearce (England), Federico Anselmi (Argentina)
TMO: Jim Yuille (Scotland)
ADVERTISEMENT
