Georgia v Argentina

Can't see Georgia causing an upset here, but good luck to them....(Taken from RWC website...)

Pumas out to cement top spot in Pool D

10 September - Argentina will be out to continue their ascendency in world rugby (now fourth in the latest IRB World Rankings), while Georgia's is looking for their first rugby world cup win when the two sides meet in their Pool D match on Tuesday at Lyon's Gerland Stadium.

The Pumas, who kicked off their campaign in the best possible way defeating host nation France in the opening match of the RWC 2007, have announced six changes to their lineup.

Four of the six replacements are due to minor injuries sustained during the match with France. Marcos Ayerza is in for Rodrigo Roncero, Rimas Álvarez Kairelis for Carlos Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe, Federico Martin Aramburu for Horacio Agulla, and Santiago Gonzalez Bonorino for Juan Martín Scelzo.

The other changes are tactical. Martín Durand, a long-term member of the Pumas, will replace Lucas Ostiglia and Gonzalo Tiesi, the only member of the Pumas to play solely at outside centre, will replace Manuel Contepomi.

In search of first RWC win

Winless in their first rugby world cup in Australia four years ago the Lelos, with 11 of the 15 Georgian starters playing in their second world cup, hope to change that this time around.

Scrum half Irakli Abuseridze admitted, "Our objective is Namibia. As for the rest, there's nothing to lose. So we just relax and play freely."

Loosehead prop David Khinchagashvili, on the other hand, takes a slightly different line.

"We know we will have a tough game on Tuesday (against Argentina). All the guys are really concentrating on it and it's really important for us to show a good game."

Argentina's difficulty may lie in overcoming their fatigue with only four days to recover from the tournament opener. Georgia, on the other hand, will have to overcome first-match nervousness as quickly as possible.

Georgia is expected to play to their strength keeping the ball close to the forwards, while Argentina have said they will look to vary their game-plan with more expansive play and less of the midfield kicks used to their advantage against France.

Another article from RWC site....

Giorgadze ready for rugby warfare
(Rugby News Service) Monday 10 September 2007
By Lena Zak
From Lyon

VILLEFRANCHE, 10 September - Some players don't like comparing rugby to war but the Georgia forward Akvsenti Giorgadze doesn't mind.


"Rugby involves contact," said Giorgadze, whose younger brother, Irakli, is also playing in the 2007 IRB Rugby World Cup.

"The history of Georgia is war and rugby is like a modern war. On the field we do battle and rugby suits the Georgian national character."

Georgia have a battle on their hands as they prepare to take on Argentina, who upset tournament hosts France last week, in their opening Pool D encounter in Gerland Stadium, Lyon on Tuesday.

Four days later they meet Ireland in Bordeaux.

Pride and honour playing for Georgia

In a country that has 38 rugby clubs and a pool of 2945 players to draw on, Giorgadze said it was an "amazing" feat for Georgia to qualify for their second world cup after participating in RWC 2003 in Australia.

Wearing the national jersey on the world stage is another badge of honour for the 31-year-old hooker who, like most of his Georgia team-mates, plays professional rugby in France.

It has become even more special for Giorgadze to represent his country since it gained independence from the former Soviet Union in April 1991.

"Rugby always remained popular in Georgia, even under the Soviet Union," Giorgadze remarked.


"Once you're playing for Georgia, it means more. The USSR finished and we started to play as a nation. Now it's been 16 years and we've been to two world cups. It's an amazing result for a small country."

There's only one Georgia
There's only one Georgia
Walkin along
Singin a song
Walkin in a Georgian wonderland

Go the Lelos!!

Yes, I'll have Georgia on my mind for this match.
They have fun and try damn hard.

Ah, my old mates from Georgia. Igor, Vladmir and that bloke I gave my club tie to. Best of luck!

Argentina notch 33-3 win over tough Georgia
LYON, 11 September - Argentina remain on track for an IRB Rugby World Cup quarter-final berth after defeating a tenacious Georgia 33-3 in the Pool D match at Gerland Stadium on Tuesday night.

Ranked fourth in the world, Argentina struggled to put a physical Georgia to the sword and, despite dominating possession and territory, led only 6-3 at halftime in the tournament's first tryless opening half.

In the first international between the countries, Argentina didn't score a try until the 47th minute when wing Lucas Borges crossed for the first of his two.

Borges showed blistering pace to score again in the 56th minute as the Pumas jumped to a 21-3 lead.

Further tries to Patricio Albacete (72nd minute) and Federico Martin Aramburu (80m) blew out the victory margin to 30 points and, importantly, earned Argentina a valuable bonus point.

Georgia opened the scoring through a penalty goal to fly half Merab Kvirikashvili in the 2nd minute but could not add to their tally, tiring as the match wore on.

Argentina, who rested six key players against Georgia, have catapulted to the top of their pool following their victory in Lyon on Tuesday and last week's 17-12 upset over tournament host France.

The South Americans have now won seven out of the eight internationals they have contested this year.

Georgia were winning 3-0 for a good amount... that must have been a huge moral victory for them.

I'm proud as punch!

with only 7 errors, and conceding only 6 penalties it sounds like it would have been a good game to watch.

we watched this game in a little bar with a heap of people .. half argentinian and the other half going for georgia .. was an awesome night!!! good game too!!

You enjoying yourself Happy?

Where are you up to with the United Nations?!

;)