Wallabies wary of tough Georgia
Wallabies wary of Georgia
Escaping an incoming super typhoon, Australia will warm up for the Rugby World Cup quarterfinals with a last Pool D outing today against “tough” Georgia.
World Rugby took the unprecedented step yesterday of cancelling two games – England v France and New Zealand v Italy – as Japan braces for Super Typhoon Hagibis, likely the biggest storm to hit the country this year.
But the match in Shizuoka today will take place before the typhoon hits, avoiding cancellation and handing the Wallabies a useful run-out against a competitive Georgian side playing for pride.
Wales’ 29-17 victory over Fiji on Wednesday ensured Australia a quarterfinal place, with the Welsh likely to advance as pool winners if they beat minnows Uruguay in Kumamoto on Sunday.
With some pressure lifted, the Australian players will still be performing with an eye on making the team for the likely quarterfinal against Pool C winners England in Oita on October 19.
With that in mind, the Wallabies made two late changes, bringing in Lukhan Salakaia-Loto and Rob Simmonds for Michael Hooper and Adam Coleman on the bench, both of whom were said to be carrying minor niggles.
Assistant coach Simon Raiwaluni added that the niggles were “nothing too major, but with that quarterfinal berth confirmed, we decided to go that way”.
Experienced Australia prop Sekope Kepu was under no illusion of what awaited the team: “Georgia have a great scrum and a great forward pack.
“They are tough buggers and they don’t really take any crap from anybody.”
Georgia opened their campaign with a 43-14 defeat by Wales before beating Uruguay 33-7 and then going down 45-10 to Fiji.
Australia meanwhile beat Fiji 39-21 in their opener before a 2925 loss to the Welsh and a 45-10 win over the Uruguayans.
Former Toulon flanker Mamuka Gorgodze, who came out of retirement to play for Georgia in Japan, said his World Cup had been tinged with disappointment.
“I was disappointed against Wales because we gave away too many tries on the first phase.”
Gorgodze said his team, however, had everything to play for against the Wallabies.
“Australia are a huge team. There is nothing to lose. You can’t not be excited at a World Cup but to play Australia is something special,” he said. –