Key occasions
Peter Jackson factors out that Big George North will make historical past together with his fourth straight Rugby World Cup quarter-final look subsequent weekend:
George North, Test attempt no. 49, will make historical past subsequent week, the primary threequarter to look in 4 consecutive World Cup quarter finals. Six tries, 43 factors, for Wales. Not unhealthy for a beneath par efficiency.
— Peter Jackson (@JackoRugby) October 7, 2023
FINAL SCORE.
Sheer simplicity from the WRU’s social crew.
Gareth Davies’ try and sort out Niniashvili earlier than the third Georgian attempt was definitely notable for its amateurishness. He received’t take pleasure in that one within the video evaluation room. Overall Wales look in wonderful bodily form, as I discussed earlier, however that efficiency may also give any quarter-final opponent hope that they will trigger Gatland’s aspect issues.
“Unless and until Welsh players tackle properly there will always be a likelihood of conceding tries and penalties that would otherwise be avoided,” emails Leigh. “The standing up “tackle” is ineffective and doubtlessly harmful. Welsh defensive play is terrible at occasions. Lydiate’s low, arduous, chop tackles are the best way to go.”
Rees-Zammit’s hat-trick sees him be a part of Darcy Graham (Scotland), Damien McKenzie (New Zealand) and Henry Arundell (England) on 5 tries. They’re all joint second within the race for the golden, er, one thing. Damian Penaud has six for France and tops the charts.
We’ll have a match report arising quickly. Later immediately there’s the small matter of England v Samoa, adopted by Ireland v Scotland, which has all of the potential to be a traditional.
Full-time! Wales 43-19 Georgia
Georgia fail to repeat their heroics of Cardiff final November, however they definitely made a sport of it. Wales had a combined afternoon, and there will likely be areas of concern for Gatland, however qualifying as pool winners with 4 wins out of 4 is to not be sniffed at.
Wales’s quarter-final will likely be at 4pm UK time subsequent Saturday in Marseille. They will face both Japan or Argentina.
Try! 79 min: Wales 43-19 Georgia (Big George North)
It’s there! Big George North will get the attempt his wonderful efficiency deserves, nipping in across the masking defence on the precise wing. Costelow converts. And that’s it.
77 min: “It’s good to see the TMO cock up like VAR,” emails Phil Haran. “Most people think TMO is always right!”
“One just has the feeling that if Georgia had scored those last two Rees-Zammit tries, they would have been brought back for a forward pass and no downward pressure,” chips in Hugh Molloy.
Try! 74 min: Wales 36-19 Georgia (Rees-Zammit)
Well properly properly. Rees-Zammit chases a kick into the in-goal space. Kveseladze is there too. It seems to be just like the wing knocks the ball on as he stoops down, with the ball additionally ricocheting off Kveseladze’s foot. Anyway, the TMO has a glance and awards the attempt. The conversion is missed. But Wales have this match within the bag. It has, nonetheless, been a correct check.
70 min: Yellow card for each groups: Basham and Niniashvili
Both groups right down to 14 for the rest of the match.
70 min: An enormous combat kicks off with greater than 20 gamers concerned. Taine Basham begins it with a neck-grab on Niniashvili, who has the ball. Niniashvili reacts angrily, which appears honest sufficient to me. Everyone piles in and it seems to be like just a few punches are thrown within the melee. Or definitely just a few main elbows. Raynal, the referee, chooses to ship each Basham and Niniashvili to the sin bin. Niniashvili reacts with some disbelief at being despatched for a sit down for 10 minutes.
70 min: The attacking bonus level for 4 tries means Wales will prime Pool C. Their quarter-final is in Marseille in seven days’ time.
Try! 67 min: Wales 31-19 Georgia (Rees-Zammit)
Order, from a Welsh perspective, is restored. The full-back Liam Williams bursts down the precise wing and chips forward. Rees-Zammit comfortably has the fuel to outpace the masking defenders, collect the ball and dive over the road to the touch down. Costelow converts and Williams is instantly withdrawn from the motion. Mason Grady comes on.
65 min: Wales get a penalty and Costelow will kick. It’s proper in the midst of the sphere and really kickable, however he scuffs it, doesn’t get the gap, and Georgia can clear.
63 min: Dee, Smith, Thomas, Basham and the aforementioned Gareth Davies are all on for Wales now. Karkadze, Abuladze, Aptisiauri, Chachanidze, Aprasidze and Tapladze are on for Georgia.
Try! 62 min: Wales 24-19 Georgia (Niniashvili)
Wow! Costelow fingers the initiative to Georgia once more when he makes a hash of a clearing kick. From the ensuing lineout, Niniashvili will get a head of steam up working down the left wing, he palms off a poor tried sort out by Gareth Davies, and has a transparent run to the road the place he swan dives over! Conversion missed, however Georgia can win this!
Try! 58 min: Wales 24-14 Georgia
Georgia make progress down the left wing. They win an attacking lineout, once more, 5 metres out. And this time they nail it! Vano Karkadze, the substitute hooker, delivers the ball to the lineout after which joins the drive for the try-line. He will get his fingers on the tablet and flops over! Matkava converts. Have we obtained a sport on once more?!
53 min: Tabutsadze, the wing, is almost in on the nook for Georgia on the precise! But he’s marginally compelled into contact by some determined last-ditch defending.
Georgia instantly come once more, on the left this time, and Tabutsadze is at it once more, jinking previous a sort out or two and making inroads into the Welsh 22. But once more Gatland’s aspect scramble sufficiently properly to maintain Georgia out. There is not any query that Wales look extraordinarily match, and their defence has largely been exemplary.
52 min: Raynal awards Georgia a penalty at that scrum. They kick for the nook however Wales steal their lineout ball once more. Very irritating for the Georgian teaching crew, to not point out their followers, and the gamers, and even the neutrals, and possibly one other group of individuals I’ve forgotten.
50 min: There is a scrum. It’s reset a couple of times. The stadium DJ is enjoying a little bit of Freddie Mercury call-and-response, to provide the group one thing to do.
47 min: I feel we are able to safely say that Wales are going to be prime of Pool C. They want yet one more attempt for an attacking bonus, however even when Georgia had been (for instance) to attain 25 unanswered factors and win the match, Wales would nonetheless prime the pool with a shedding bonus level.
Try! 43 min: Wales 24-7 Georgia (Rees-Zammit)
Georgia start the half in decided model. They preserve the ball within the fingers and transfer the ball proper, transferring into contact with loads of intent and likewise preserving the assault transferring easily … however then Kveseladze, the No 13, whips an tried move again within the different path, from proper to left. It’s a horrible effort that bounces up and finds George North’s fingers, and the Georgian defence is totally uncovered when Louis Rees-Zammit will get the ball due to a easy move from North. The Gloucester wing runs in a attempt from lengthy distance with utter nonchalance.
Second half kick off!
“The Welsh diaspora in Zambia are watching the match,” says Stephen Bickers on Twitter. “But we also think those passes were forward!”
What – all of them? Good to have you ever on board anyway.
Half-time! Wales 17-7 Georgia
Will Gatland be proud of that? Yes and no. Wales had been firmly in management for many of the half, however Georgia impressively fought again within the ultimate 10 minutes or so, and Sharikadze’s attempt has put them in with a shout. See you quickly for extra.
39 min: Faletau clumsily spills the ball in touch across the Wales 22. Georgia nab it and assault into the hazard zone. Tomos Williams makes a great sort out on the No 6, Gachechiladze, and Wales instantly flip the ball again over. Raynal awards Georgia a scrum put-in and it’s a promising place for them, however then a penalty comes for a excessive sort out, and that’s half time.
Try! 35 min: Wales 17-7 Georgia (Sharikadze)
This is an incredible rating for the Lelos, contemplating how a lot stress they’ve been below. They get the lineout proper, 5 metres out, and kind a driving maul. Wales maintain agency for fairly a while, however then Georgia spin the ball by way of the fingers into the center of the pitch after somebody makes a dart from the aspect of the maul. The captain Sharikadze has loads of work to do when he will get his mitts on the ball about 5 metres out however manages to energy by way of a problem and contact down. Excellent attempt. Matkava converts, and we’ve got a ball sport.
33 min: For the primary time Georgia get some attacking continuity collectively. Niniashvili has a dart on the precise wing and stoops right into a sort out – it’s what is perhaps thought of a excessive hit however the referee tells him he’s “falling down” so there’s nothing incorrect with it. Lineout for Georgia 5 metres out now …
30 min: Big George North is a livewire as soon as once more with the ball in hand and provides up an offload for Costelow to run on to. Williams is then wrapped up by an enormous sort out and I feel the referee, Raynal, has a verify with the TMO about that or one thing else. I’m watching on French telly so I don’t have the luxurious of English commentary.
Penalty! 27 min: Wales 17-0 Georgia (Costelow)
The younger fly-half has slotted into this aspect seamlessly, which isn’t simple to do once you didn’t anticipate to start out. He’s three from three off the tee and created the second attempt with an exquisite move to Williams too.
Try! 23 min: Wales 14-0 Georgia (Liam Williams)
A powerful scrum for Wales results in a transfer down the blindside with Dyer, once more, having a glimpse of area out extensive. Faletau then takes it up however is pushed again into contact by two or three tacklers. Wales handle to win the ensuing lineout, Tomos Williams feeds his No 10, Costelow, and Costelow in flip loops a beautiful move to Liam Williams in loads of area. The full-back is a imaginative and prescient of composure as he jinks past one tackler and touches down with one other opponent threatening, however not succeeding, to make a sort out. Costelow strokes the conversion by way of the posts. This is ominous for Georgia.
Try! 16 min: Wales 7-0 Georgia (Francis)
A neat lineout transfer units up a driving maul for Wales from 5 metres which Georgia do properly to repel initially. Wales preserve the ball in hand, although, and Francis crashes by way of a sort out to attain from a few metres out. Costelow converts. That was a robust and environment friendly rating of the kind that decreased Australia to a quivering mess.
13 min: Mike Forshaw, the Wales defence coach, spoke about how properly Georgia defended towards Fiji. They are choosing up the place they left off and staying very stable. As I kind, area opens up for Wales on the left wing, and it seems to be like Rio Dyer may need a run on the line. But positive sufficient one other Georgian tackler seems.
11 min: George North, AKA “Big” George North, has a run in direction of a cluster of would-be tacklers in midfield. He reveals beautiful footwork to step away from a few them however is ultimately scragged.
9 min: Wales take pleasure in some territory across the Georgia 22, working by way of just a few attacking phases with some carrying down the center. Costelow then tries a grubber kick for a few again line colleagues to chase however he overcooks it and it squirts harmlessly out in-goal. It stays scoreless.
7 min: It’s been an all-action begin. It doesn’t appear to be a match with nothing using on it, and I assume that’s as a result of it’s not. Wales can safe prime spot and Georgia can restore an enormous quantity of satisfaction with a win.
Georgia win an attacking lineout cleanly and spin the ball out to the precise however the Welsh defence is properly positioned to maintain them out.
4 min: Liam Williams is hit within the air and results in a heap. Initially it seems to be like he is perhaps badly damage however he has a fast lie down after which will get up. Raynal, the referee, has just a few phrases with each groups and awards a penalty towards Dewi Lake for a neck roll, I feel.
2 min: Wales kick off. Georgia field kick. Costelow of Wales kicks it again. Luka Matkava, the Georgia No 10, has a run from deep however is swiftly munched by some sturdy Welsh tackling.
Kick off!
Here we go.
Huw Thomas has some ideas on Wales technique:
“1. Keep it tight
2. Throw it about when it’s won – act like the perennial World Cup winners – ruthless, clinical and focused.”
Works for me.
Georgia’s crew belt out their anthem. There was loads of hugging happening within the altering room 5 minutes in the past too. Rest assured, they’re up for this.
Here come the groups. It’s a fairly frankly ludicrous 27C in a really sunny Nantes, and will likely be hotter than that within the stadium. Time for the anthems.
Wales followers, what are you ideas on immediately, and certainly what are your expectations for the final eight?
You can e mail me or tweet @LukeMcLaughlin
Will Rowlands, who’s becoming a member of Racing 92, was requested this week if he’s having fun with a style of French tradition on the World Cup.
“Very much so,” he mentioned. “It’s been an incredible month out here, I’ve loved the four cities we’ve been to. Great support, great atmosphere everywhere and I’m very excited to continue to journey. My French [learning] is on the go. I used to speak ok French when I was at school so it’s rusty but the basics are there.”
Bien.
Terrible luck for Anscombe, however an excellent alternative for the 22-year-old Sam Costelow of the Scarlets, who started his profession at Leicester Tigers and thus far has six caps for Wales.
“I’ve been doing a lot of work with Neil Jenkins in training,” Costelow informed the WRU web site in August. “He has been helping me with kicking and the game-management side of things. It is about keeping on improving.”
Wales fly-half Gareth Anscombe injured in warm-up
Wale’s chosen fly-half, Gareth Anscombe, has injured his groin within the warm-up and has been dominated out on the final minute. That means Sam Costelow begins at No 10 and Dan Biggar is drafted into the replacements. (The official crew announcement talked about that Biggar is injured, however that was in fact 5 days in the past …)
And right here is the Wales v Georgia preview wot I wrote yesterday.
Stade de la Beaujoire in Nantes, in fact, was the venue when Fiji surprised Wales again in 2007. And Wales have the reminiscence of final 12 months’s defeat by Georgia nonetheless pretty contemporary of their minds. In the parallel universe by which Wales wanted to win this to remain within the event, the omens wouldn’t be trying good.
In Lyon final evening, France hammered Italy to succeed in the final eight:
While Ireland and Scotland will duke it out for a quarter-final spot in Paris ce soir:
Team information
Six modifications for Wales, with the co-captain Dewi Lake slotting into the entrance row at hooker, and Gareth Anscombe beginning at fly-half instead of the injured Dan Biggar. Tommy Reffell, the scrum-half Tomos Williams and wing Rio Dyer are additionally in. Warren Gatland, in what is perhaps described as an announcement of intent, named his crew 5 days in the past.
Five modifications for Georgia following their gutsy loss towards Fiji final weekend. The coach Levan Maisashvili has given Guram Gogichashvili and Shalva Mamukashvili the nod within the entrance row, whereas Nodar Cheishvili is available in at lock. The captain, Merab Sharikadze, returns at inside-centre whereas full-back Lasha Khmaladze makes his first look at Rugby World Cup 2023.
Wales: L Williams; Rees-Zammit, North, Tompkins, Dyer; Anscombe, T Williams; G Thomas, Lake (capt.), Francis, Rowlands, D Jenkins, Wainwright, Reffell, Faletau. Replacements: Dee, Smith, H Thomas, Tshiunza, Basham, G Davies, Costelow, Grady.
Georgia: Khmaladze; Tabutsadze, Kveseladze, Sharikadze (capt.), Niniashvili; Matkava, Lobzhanidze; Gogichashvili, Mamukashvili, Gigashvili, Cheishvili, Mikautadze, Gachechiladze, Saginadze, Jalagonia. Replacements: Karkadze, Abuladze, Aptsiauri, Chachanidze, Tsutskiridze, Aprasidze, Abzhandadze, Tapladze.
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (Fra)
Preamble
Today’s sport comes with a satisfying lack of jeopardy for Wales who’re safely by way of to the quarter-finals. Warren Gatland’s resurgent aspect require only a level from this match to guarantee prime billing in Pool C, however no matter occurs they’re into the final eight.
Similarly, there’s not very a lot using on this for Georgia, in view of the very fact they’re already eradicated. A second win towards Wales within the area of a 12 months could be an immensely satisfying approach to log out, nonetheless, following defeats by Australia and Fiji and a memorable draw with Portugal.
Levan Maisashvili’s aspect are unlikely to get a lot change from a bunch of Wales gamers who fancy their probabilities of a deep event run, although, whereas Gatland has the luxurious of managing assets earlier than their assault on the knockout phases.
Who is aware of – it is perhaps shut – it’d even be enjoyable. Team information and extra arising.
Kick-off: 2pm UK time
Discussion about this post