Ireland may be 1/500 favourites going into tomorrow’s clash with Georgia but, we’ve done our research on the Georgian fifteen and they’re no pushovers … for the most part.
1. Mikheil Nariashvili: The boy’s got a lovely tackle on him. Not like that, get your mind out of the gutter.
2. Shalva Mamukashvili: Ol’ Shalva’s got a decent line-out ball and is undeniably powerful in the maul.
3. David Kubriashvili: We mightn’t advise popping too much money on him to score a try but he’s got the power in his thighs to break any tackle, or at least carry you with him over the line.
4. Kote Mikautadze: This giant flat-out refuses to hit the deck, must be afraid of grass or something.
5. Giorgi Nemsadze: He’s got a turn of pace for a big fella, nothing that new boy Dave Foley can’t handle.
6. Giorgi Tkhilaishvili: Couldn’t find anything on this character so let’s just presume he’s killed someone and is using an assumed identity (best to play it safe).
7. Viktor Kolelishvili: Might not be setting the world on fire as a rugby player but he could have a decent future as a heavyweight boxer with knockout power like this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4t1qaEBC5lo
8.Dimitri Basilaia: Jonathan Sexton and Brian O’Driscoll have both felt the gut-crushing power of a Basilaia tackle. The timing might be questionable on one of them, but the force is what we should appreciate.
9. Giorgi Begadze: The tackling ability of this lil’ guy might be worth exploiting by Dave Kilcoyne and Mike Ross. Doesn’t seem to be able to quite engage with his runner.
10. Lasha Khmaladze: The out-half should be put in jail for having a tackle this strong. This fella’s in the team for more than his boot.
11. Tamaz Mtchedlidze: Tackler says “I have you!” Mtchedlidze says “Have that!”
12. Merab Sharikadze: They mightn’t be the heaviest attempts to take him down but, if you can break the tackles of four Samoans, you’re alright in my book.
13. David Kacharava: Clever boy! He judges the flight of the ball perfectly, intercepts and ends up under the posts.
14. Alexander Todua: He doesn’t have a name that will send alarm bells ringing in world rugby but this 10 minute highlight video shows that he knows what he’s no slouch.
15. Merab Kvirikashvili: The Georgian’s aren’t just dangerous with the ball in hand or with fists in face, they’ve got a decent kicking game in the left boot of this full back.
Massive shout-out to Patrick McCarry for doing all the heavy work for this article.
