Wales scores 6 tries, beats Georgia 43-14 at the Rugby World Cup
Wales opened its Rugby World Cup campaign by beating Georgia 43-14 yesterday in a contest which became much more even in the second half.
The Six Nations champion had the result – and four-tries bonus point – locked up by halftime at 290. A giant win seemed inevitable but Wales’ intensity dropped while Georgia’s pride drove it to split the four tries in the second half.
Warren Gatland felt his side targeted Georgia effectively.
“We were pretty clinical,” Gatland said. “We executed a number of set-piece opportunities. No disrespect to Georgia, but I like to think we’re good enough to score off a number of opportunities.”
Tries from centre Jonathan Davies in the second minute, flanker Justin Tipuric, left winger Josh Adams, and fullback Liam Williams had Welsh supporters singing.
But Georgia gave its own fans something to be proud of with a spirited second-half comeback which produced two tries following impressive work from the forwards.
After a converted effort from hooker Shalva Mamukashvili soon after the restart, Georgia resisted for 10 minutes without conceding any points while Jaba Bregvadze was sin-binned for collapsing a rolling maul.
Wales was in check until the 65th minute when replacement flyhalf Tomos Williams had enough pace to reach winger George North’s kick ahead just in time.
Georgia’s backs hardly made an impression. The pack, however, bullied Wales at times in the second period.
“That’s what we have to lean on in order to perform even better,” Georgia captain and prop Mikheil Nariashvili said.
Following a tap penalty near the left corner, prop Levan Chilachava bulldozed over from the back of the scrum for a converted try to trim the deficit to 36-14.
Tomos Williams then set up North for a late sixth try with a one-handed offload, and the powerful North broke two tackles.
The match at a humid City of Toyota Stadium opposed two forwards appearing in their fourth World Cup: Georgia flanker Mamuka Gorgodze and Wales lock Alun Wyn Jones, the captain, who equalled Gethin Jenkins’ Wales record of 129 test caps.