There were a few highlights against the Tongans, with captain Jacques Burger becoming the first Namibia player to score two tries in a Rugby World Cup match and Namibia scoring three times in a match for the first time on the sport’s biggest stage.
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Wednesday’s contest was hardly a classic and credit must go to Namibia for how they performed.
It was a unusual game in Exeter as the first-half action lasted 49 minutes – 68 in total – in what was a try-less opening period to the match.
Tonga need an unlikely upset against New Zealand in their last Pool C match to snatch back the automatic qualifying berth for the 2019 World Cup in Japan.
Don’t expect that to take any heat out of the contests when the Springboks bid to seal top spot in Pool B with a win over the United States at the Olympic stadium, and Georgia takes on Namibia in Pool C.
“It’s a first world Cup point”. Burger and winger Bryan Habana played for the Springboks in that game.
Namibia, largely outplayed but not lacking in effort, set a landmark of its own by leading a World Cup match at half-time but could not hold on to its 6-0 advantage and remains winless in 18 tournament appearances stretching back to 1999.
“That second-half performance has been as polished as I have been involved in with a Bok team”, he told reporters. “Someone said Henry the Eighth but I don’t think he’s ever been here” – Fitness coach Paul Stridgeon gets into the spirit of talk of ghostly goings-on at Wales’ Oatlands Park Hotel training base in Surrey.
Referee George Clancy dished out a third yellow card to Namibia, sending Bothma to the bin for a chokehold tackled on Malaguradze, the fly-half promptly crossing for a second try following a fine Gorgodze charge and offload.
Georgia came close to falling off a precipice.
It was however their first ever World Cup point and is something to build on ahead of their final game at this tournament against Argentina on Sunday.
That meant the Georgians started the second period with 15 against 13, and they were quickly into attack.
Firstly, Georgia’s star man Mamuka Gorgodze crashed over after another break from full-back Merab Kvirikashvili, who was sensational with ball in hand all night.
Gorgodze made up for his sloppy first-half pass with a well-taken try in the 50th minute.
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Georgia: 15 Merab Kvirikashvili, 14 Tamaz Mchedlidze, 13 Davit Kacharava, 12 Merab Sharikadze, 11 Alexander Todua, 10 Lasha Malaguradze, 9 Vasil Lobzhanidze, 8 Mamuka Gorgodze (c), 7 Viktor Kolelishvili, 6 Giorgi Tkhilaishvili, 5 Konstantin Mikautadze, 4 Giorgi Nemsadze, 3 Davit Zirakashvili, 2 Jaba Bregvadze, 1 Mikheil Nariashvili. Reserves: Shalva Mamukashvili, Karlen Asieshvili, Anton Peikrishvili, Levan Datunashvili, Lasha Lomidze, Giorgi Begadze, Giorgi Aptsiauri, Beka Tsiklauri.
