Tonga and Georgia will be keen to kick start their World Cup campaigns with a win when they meet at Kingsholm Stadium in Gloucester. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 9.00pm (AEST).
This game is a must-win for Tonga if they are to have any hope of progressing beyond the pool stages.
For Georgia, the 2015 Rugby World Cup will be another stepping stone for the development of rugby in the country and they will be looking to compete strongly, particularly against Tonga and Namibia.
Tonga gained a morale boost after beating Romania for the first time 21-16 just under two weeks ago in Bucharest.
Georgia lost all three of their warm up games, finishing with a narrow 13-10 defeat to Japan in a match where they led from the 15th minute until the 77th.
This doesn’t bode well for their performance in the Rugby World Cup proper but Georgia coach Milton Haig believes the losses were ‘perfect’ preparation as it puts the side under pressure to perform against Tonga.
Tonga and Georgia have met three times in the past. In November last year, Georgia couldn’t make the most of their home advantage losing 9-23.
The teams played each other twice in 1999 with both teams coming away with a win. First Tonga won 37-6 at home and three weeks later Georgia scraped a victory 28-27 in their capital city of Tbilisi.
A key match-up will be in the forwards between the two capatains, Nili Latu of Tonga and Georgian big man, Mamuka Gorgodze. According to The Telegraph UK, “there are few more terrifying sights in rugby than back-row forward Mamuka Gorgodze in action.”
Georgia is also set to field the youngest ever player at a Rugby World Cup, with scrum-half Vasil Lobzhanidze being 18 years and 340 days old on Saturday.
Although Tonga is the weakest of the Pacific nations, I can’t see them losing to Georgia. My prediction is for Tonga to win by more than three converted tries.
Realistically Georgia has a very small chance of making the quarter-finals but will they feel the pressure to perform and cause an upset against Tonga?
Join The Roar on Saturday night at 9:00pm (AEST) for live scores, updates and debate in our live blog.
Hosea
Roar Pro
Thanks mate, I was going off his accent and stuffed it.
atlad
Guest
Milton Haig is no ,'Aussie' He is from NZ, placed with Georgia with the assistance of NZRU along with part time asst coach Scott Gibbes Haig formerly coached ITM Cup side Counties-Manukau, Super team Chiefs, and NZ Maori. Gibbes is from Waikato's coaching team.
Hosea
Roar Pro
No worries mate, thanks for having a read and comment
Hosea
Roar Pro
No worries RobC, hope the coverage was alright. Georgia are the stars tonight
Hosea
Roar Pro
Well according to my prediction they were meant to win by more than 21 points! Happy to be proved wrong.
Joey Johns
Roar Guru
+1 Absolute Beast If it rains, Georgia can beat anyone in z trenches.
Hosea
Roar Pro
Thanks mate... so hard!
Hosea
Roar Pro
Thanks mate, I completely missed, can you tell I'm a rookie?
Joey Johns
Roar Guru
World Rugby; It's time for Romania & Georgia to join the 6 nations. At least give Italy some competition for the wooden spoon.
Tigranes
Guest
Georgia's defence was fantastic...they would have made over 200 tackles Tonga never got into this game probably because of Georgia's defence, but ta few of their players looked unfit, their ball handling was awful, set piece was crap, they ran upright...maybe they thought they would just have to turn up and win...is their coaching any good? Georgia were paying $6 for a Win..
Hosea
Roar Pro
Thanks everyone for joining me especially all you great guys in Georgia and Tonga (I wish). This has been fun, I hope to do it again soon! I'll be keen to check the debate when I wake up tomorrow. FULL TIME GEORGIA 17 TONGA 10
Nobrain
Guest
17tackles says it all.
Nobrain
Guest
I will call it the pool of pain. Georgia and Tonga have brutal approach to the game.
Hosea
Roar Pro
So while Brent Ford was spot on with his prediction for the game this morning, I was way, way off. I said Tonga by more than 21 points. Georgia ended up with the win by 7. I am always happy to be proven wrong especially by the minnows. Where to now for Tonga? Can they improve in the tournament or will they lose to Namibia?! Where to now for Georgia? Wins against Argentina and New Zealand? Yeah probably not. But don't write them off like I did before this game!
Nobrain
Guest
Great defense , never missed the first tackle and a very proud and united team. Their dense system is very well organized, and they take their opportunities, good scrum and the defense against the maul is very effective.
eagleJack
Roar Guru
Really enjoyed that. Great passion from the Georgians. Thought Gorgodze was going to kill his fly-half for even thinking about a cross-field kick at the death. Certainly not a bloke you would want to cross!
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
Naaaa spoke to a few roarers couple of weeks ago, no one gave them a chance, Tonga were supposed to hammer them. not quite.
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
I love those guys and follow them as much as I can! Most of them are in france and every time I read an interview they are such great blokes who love the opportunity that's given to them. Fearless and proud blokes. Gorgodze started rugby at 17! (comes from basket) Wowwowowow!
Hosea
Roar Pro
Just recapping FULL TIME SCORE GEORGIA 17 TONGA 10 Georgia just too good and Tonga dropping the ball all over the place today.
Hosea
Roar Pro
They did play quiet poorly, never looked structured and consistently gave away the ball.