Georgia secure first victory in Rugby World Cup 2011 while thumping Romania by 25-9
Georgia battled past Romania in a comfortable win on September 28 in Palmerston North with the help of 17 individual points by Merab Kvirikashvili. The Georgians secured the victory by 25-9 in what was the first win for the squad in the ongoing Rugby World
Cup.
Romania’s head coach, Romeo Stefan Gontineac, made wholesale changes to his side once again as he decided to provide a chance to those who have not played in this world cup. As many as 11 changes were featured in the Romanian side from their previous game
against England.
Meanwhile, Georgia coach Richie Dixon relied on just two changes to his team that lost to England on September 18. The return of Lasha Khmaladze was the major alteration in Georgian side.
The game started slow and the sides failed to excite the limited crowd. A number of penalties were being committed by both sides at the scrums and most of the match time was wasted in this repeated activity during the first part of the game. Merab Kvirikashvili
finally got off the mark for Georgia in the ninth minute of the match with a penalty goal. The score was levelled to 3-3 three minutes later by Romanian player Dan Dumbrava.
Merab Kvirikashvili scored a further three penalty goals for his team before the interval and helped side to a slight lead of 12-6 at the end of the first-half. The first part of the game was all about the penalties and penalty goals as Georgia committed
eight and Romania 11.
The sluggish work continued even in the second-half as most of the activities were happening in the mid-field. Mamuka Gorgodze scored the first try of the match in the 57th minute and increased his teams lead to 17-6. Georgia clinched the victory
with 25-9 in the end.
Georgia: 15 Lasha Khmaladze, 14 Revaz Gigauri, 13 David Kacharava, 12 Tedo Zibzibadze, 11 Alexander Todua, 10 Merab Kvirikashvili, 9 Irakli Abuseridze (c), 8 Dimitri Basilaia, 7 Mamuka Gorgodze, 6 Giorgi Chkhaidze, 5 Vakhtang Maisuradze,
4 Ilia Zedginidze, 3 David Zirakashvili, 2 Jaba Bregvadze, 1 David Khinchagishvili.
Replacements: 16 Goderdzi Shvelidze, 17 Vasil Kakovin, 18 Levan Datunashvili, 19 Givi Berishvili, 20 Bidzina Samkharadze, 21 Irakli Chkhikvadze, 22 Malkhaz Urjukashvili.
Romania: 15 Iulian Dumitras, 14 Stefan Ciuntu, 13 Csaba Gal, 12 Tiberius Dimofte, 11 Madalin Lemnaru, 10 Danut Dumbrava, 9 Florin Surugiu, 8 Daniel Carpo, 7 Ovidiu Tonita, 6 Mihai Macovei, 5 Cristian Petre, 4 Valentin Ursache, 3 Paulica
Ion, 2 Marius Tincu (c), 1 Mihaita Lazar.
Replacements: 16 Bogdan Suman, 17 Silviu Florea, 18 Valentin Poparlan, 19 Daniel Ianus, 20 Valentin Calafeteanu, 21 Constantin Gheara, 22 Florin Vlaicu.
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