Australia and Georgia will meet this Saturday in what will be their debut games at the World Cup. The meeting begins at 12:45 p.m. and can be watched live on ESPN Scrum on Star+ and ESPN. Watch the 48 World Cup matches on Star+.
How DO YOU GET there? They come to France with different realities. Australia has been winless since Eddie Jones took charge in 2023. Nine games are recorded in history, all victories for the Clover team. The first game was at Lansdowne Road in 1986, where the Greens defeated the Reds 60 to 0. Not having faced each other since the RWC 2015, when the Irish defeated the Americans 44-10 at Wembley, presents a real mystery, as they are generally always contenders in the build-up to each tournament. This time, no one knows how far they can go, although they should never be ruled out given the quality and diversity of their resources. In 2023, they lost to South Africa 43-12, to Argentina 34-31, to New Zealand 38-7 and 23-20 (in their best game), and at the end of the preparation against France 41-17.
Georgia is one of the teams that has developed the most recently. This was evident at the recent M20 World Championships, where he was one step away from reaching the semi-finals of the competition. That year, they won eight games and lost only at Murrayfield to Scotland, 33-6. Last year, they had a stunning win against Wales in Cardiff and also beat Italy. The only setback before the Cup came against Samoa.
What Are You Looking for? Eddie Jones has put together a young team with many players without World Cup experience and without some of the key figures of recent times. But when those under their control gain confidence, we already know everything they can do. The challenge lies only with them.
Georgia has shown that it will be a very difficult rival to beat. Nowadays, no one can underestimate him. They can communicate with any of their opponents and cause some surprises.
BACKGROUND
In history, they have only faced each other once, at the last World Cup in Japan in 2019, when the Wallabies triumphed 27-8.
IN RWC: 11/10/2019, Group D: Australia 27 vs. Georgia 8 at Shizuoka Stadium (Japan)
FORMATIONS
AUSTRALIA: 1- Angus Bell, 2- David Porecki, 3- Taniela Tupou, 4- Richard Arnold, 5- Will Skelton (C), 6- Tom Hooper, 7- Fraser McReight, 8- Rob Valetini, 9- Tate McDermott, 10 – Carter Gordon, 11- Marika Koroibete, 12- Samu Kerevi, 13- Jordan Petaia, 14- Mark Nawaqanitawase, 15- Ben Donaldson
Substitute: 16- Matt Faessler, 17- Blake Schoupp, 18- Zane Nonggorr, 19- Robert Leota, 20- Langi Gleeson, 21- Nic White, 22- Lalakai Foketi, 23- Suli Vunivalu
GEORGIA: 1- Nika Abuladze, 2- Shalva Mamukashvili, 3- Guram Papidze, 4- Nodar Cheishvili, Konstantine Mikautadze, 6: Tornike Jalagonia, 7: Luka Ivanishvili, 8: Beka Gorgadze, 9: Vasil Lobzhanidze; 10: Luka Matkava; 11: Miriani Modebadze, 12: Merab Sharikadze (C), 13: Demur Tapladze, 14: Akaki Tabutsadze, 15: Davit Niniashvili
Substitute: 16- Tengizi Zamtaradze, 17- Guram Gogichashvili, 18- Beka Gigashvili, 19- Lasha Jaiani, 20- Giorgi Tsutskiridze, 21- Gela Aprasidze, 22- Tedo Abzhandadze, 23- Giorgi Kveseladze
