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.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQ0uBXCeWrs
2. Shalva Mamukashvili: Ol' Shalva's got a decent line-out ball and is undeniably powerful in the maul.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaJzcb5wqng
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.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4gZBhewmDU
4. Kote Mikautadze: This giant flat-out refuses to hit the deck, must be afraid of grass or something.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3gzZqAK39Q
5. Giorgi Nemsadze: He's got a turn of pace for a big fella, nothing that new boy Dave Foley can't handle.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmMbq7WVJyg
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.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQd0KUnIm_g
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.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nX_5fPprfFM
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.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZftOwOGUwBw
11. Tamaz Mtchedlidze: Tackler says "I have you!" Mtchedlidze says "Have that!"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0mrBcyUqyQ
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.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmDqixeYppA
13. David Kacharava: Clever boy! He judges the flight of the ball perfectly, intercepts and ends up under the posts.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15KNQ1hBM78
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.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9M2lkRUU-Y
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.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siXe0Mb7ddo
Massive shout-out to Patrick McCarry for doing all the heavy work for this article.
