BELGIUM v GEORGIA: WCQ Europe R5; ENC 1A

01.02.2014

Venue: Avchala Rugby Stadium, Tibilisi

Image thanks to ‘Quentin’ at http://www.fira-aer-rugby.com/forum2007/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4472

Referee: Vlad Iordachescu (Romania)

Preview
This is a very tough assignment for Belgium first up in this competition. They have a huge hurdle to defeat Georgia, the reigning champions, on their home turf.

Comments from FIRA-AER Forum
”Some notable absences for Belgium:Julien Berger (Bayonne), Jens Torfs (Perpignan), Thomas De Molder (Pau), Alexis Cuffolo (Carcassonne), Raphael Olive (St-Nazaire), Mathieu Verschelden (La Voulte), Norman Wende (Massy)
Burger hurts most as he's their best player and was the ENC's form scrumhalf last year by some's reckoning.
Omitted from the wider squad entirely is Belgium's starting 10 from last year, Carlos Fierro, who I suspect has retired given his age.
This is Megrelidze's first cap for Belgium I believe, in his native country of Georgia. Will be interesting to see how he goes.”  4n

“I feel Georgia really ought to put a good score on Belgium in this game. They surely can't play as badly as last year that for my money was Georgia's worst performance I've seen by them from my time watching them. Romania beat Belgium comfortably away from home last year completely dominating possession and mauling/scrumming their way to tries, Georgia have better a better midfield partnership with Khmaladze at 10 combining with Sharikadze far better than Kvirikashvili did, so there is potential for the Lelos to cut loose like they did with Spain last year and really get ahead on points difference, conditions though could also hinder that happening.” Beeman2

“field cleared, not frozen thanks to snow, but still -5 three hours before ko.
Live streaming at http://1tv.ge/live?lang=en  from 10.55 GMT” FLIDTA RISXVA

These two teams have met only once before today.
02.02.2013 Georgia 17-13 in Brussels (WCQ Europe R5; ENC 1A)

GWC Rugby Rankings:
Georgia 10th, Belgium 24th

IRB Ranking Points
Georgia 69.07, Belgium 55.72

Prediction: Georgia by 27 points.

Teams

Georgia

15		Merab Kvirikashvili	CS Vienne, France
14		Irakli Machkhaneli	RC Armazi, France
13		David Kacharava	Enisey-STM Krasnoyarsk, Russia
12		Merab Sharikadze	US Bourg-en-Bresse, France
11		George Shkinin
10		Lasha Khmaladze	Lelo
9		Giorgi Begadze	Batumi
8		Dimitri Basilaia	Edinburgh Rugby, Scotland
7		Giorgi Chkhaidze	Tarbes Pyrénées Rugby, France
6		Giga Tkhilaishvili	Armia
5		Levan Datunashvili	Stade Aurillacois, France
4		Konstantin Mikautadze	RC Toulon, France
3		Davit Kubriashvili	Stade Français, France
2		Jaba Bregvadze	Stade Toulousain, France
1		Mikheil Nariashvili	Montpellier Hérault Rugby, France
16		Shalva Mamukashvili	Armia
17		Zurab Zhvania	Stade Français, France
18		Levan Chilachava	RC Toulon, France
19		Giorgi Nemsadze	Tarbes, France
20		Viktor Kolelishvili	Lyon Olympique Universitaire, France
21		Vazha Khutsishvili	Kharebi
22		Lasha Malaguradze	Stade Bagnérais, France
23		Beka Tsiklauri	Locomotivi
		HEAD COACH: Milton Haig

Belgium

15		Sylvain Roos	SU Agen
14		Tornike Megrelidze	Soignies
13		Guillaume Brébant	Boitsfort RC
12		Guillaume Piron	US Colomiers, France
11		Marc Tchangue	USA  Perpignan, France
10		Christopher Brown	Fréjus - Saint-Raphaël, France
9		Hendrik Brouwers	Metro-Racing 92, France
8		Denis Eppe	Boitsfort RC
7		Michael De Molder	Boitsfort RC
6		Julien Morelli	Bastia, France
5		Pierre Hendrickx	Boitsfort RC
4		Cyril Nana	RSC Anderlecht
3		Maxime Jadot	Selection Paloise, France
2		Thomas Dienst	Lille Metropole Rugby, France
1		Julien Massimi	RC Auxerre, France
16		Bastian Vermeylen	Boitsfort RC
17		Alain Miriallakis	NSW Waratahs, Australia
18		André Kouemou	La Hulpe RC
19		Brieuc Frater	La Hulpe RC
20		Corentin Lecloux	Boitsfort RC
21		Simon Marote	ASUB Waterloo
22		Florent Debatty	Soignies
23		Alan Williams	Montluçon, France
		HEAD COACH: Richard McClintock