Rugby · Rugby World Cup 2007 · Match Tracker

Live Match Tracker: Ireland v Georgia

by Brendan Cole

Full Time: Ireland 14 Georgia 10

80+1 Georgia have Ireland on the run again. Hickie handed off and a desperate Neil Best tackle. Their penalty, and they run it.

Denis Leamy again saves Ireland, wrapping up the ball and preventing it getting back.

Slight fisticuffs turn to handshakes.

What a match.

Don't forget to check back for player ratings, expert views and plenty more on Monday morning!!!!!!!!!

80 mins Georgia try to maul but Ireland get it down legally. Last chance for them. They shift it wide and lose about 20 metres.

80 mins Chipped up and under - but Horgan is safe. World Cup was on the line and he made the catch. Poor kick though, and Georgia have a lineout on Ireland's '22.

79 mins O'Connell wins it and Ireland are near halfway. Boss's kick. Georgia set it up and will have one last chance.

79 mins Ireland win the scrum - spills out to Leamy and they manage to clear it. Georgia lineout on the Irish '22.

78 mins Denis Leamy has saved Ireland. Gotten under the ball and held it up. Scrum five to Georgia though... not out of the woods yet at all.

77 mins Georgia drive it over - and he's gone to the TMO! Ireland's world cup is in the hands of an Argentine TMO!

75 mins Up and under and Georgia almost in! They don't deal with it and Ireland are under huge pressure, again 5 yards from their own line!

74 mins Free kick Ireland - Georgia drive early - and Boss taps and goes. Ireland ruck on the Georgian '22, turned over and run back - and kicked by Georgia. Another very poor kick by Ronan O'Gara but Georgia return the favour. Dempsery marks but doesn't make touch.

74 mins Scrum Ireland - no bonus point now surely.

73 mins Dempsey markes twice in quick succession - up and under is the new plan - and he clears to near halfway.

73 mins Ireland scrum in our '22 is unstable - their number eight collects and Georgia are 10 out again. Another drop effort misses though. Ireland are blessed that Kvirakashvili is having a poor one with these efforts.

Neil Best is on.

71 mins Georgia catch and work it back to the Irish 10 metre line. Their driving is having an effect - but they knock on after looking dangerous.

70 mins Their ball on the Irish '22. Ireland defending desperately. Drop goal line up but the 10 misses again. Long dropout might be in order? Short ones have not been good as yet.

68 mins Ball is five out from the Irish line. Now two out after another drive! Ireland turn it over though O'Driscoll clears from the base - he was a scrum-half at Blackrock as a fifteen year old an the skills come in useful here! Isaac Boss is on for Stringer, who has been out of form.

Ireland win the lineout and Boss's kick is decent.

66 mins Barnes is allowing Georgia to really disrupt the Irish ruck. Their lineout on the Irish '22. Ruck Georgia. They drive it up and make 10 yards. They are 10 yards out and still driving! Crowd really getting going!

65 mins D'Arcy drives but is bottled up. O'Driscoll attacks but also unnable to get through. Georgia turnover from Horgan drive and clear to Ireland's '22.

O'Driscoll is down in the Georgian '22. John Hayes is replaced by Simon Best, limping slightly. Ireland win the lineout and kick it into the Georgian '22. Great return puts them back in the Irish '22.

63 mins Ireland maul and then shift it right. Intercept almost on!

Leamy drives it up but Ireland are turned over. They knock on though - illegal turnover perhaps? Certainly Ireland looked hard done by. Their scrum anyway.

62 mins Hickie clears well after an Irish lineout - a poor return kick by Georgia put them 10 metres inside the Georgian half.

61 mins They crab right to set up the drop, but the 10 misses from his own 10 metre line. '22 drop out for Ireland.

60 mins Leamy picks and makes yards but then knocks on. Made 10 yards though. They win the scrum and ruck in the Irish '22.

59 mins Georgia change tactics; they are mauling now and it is giving Ireland a real problem: they can't seem to knock the Georgians over. Let off - Georgia knock on two yards from the Irish line.

58 mins Ireland scrum shunted back and Stringer, almost caught by their 8, kicks but makes only five yards. Georgia drive from the lineout and the ruck battle starts again.

56 mins Georgia ruck and drive in the Irish '22; no real penetration and Ireland eventually turn it over. Back row sub by Georgia - the number six Maisuradze replaced by his brother (sub).

56 mins Conversion made. Ireland 14 Georgia 10 D'Arcy's break was supported by Wallace. Ball slowed down but O'Driscoll to Flannery - quick hands - put Dempsey one on one against the sub winger. Nice hand off and he runs it across. Tough kick, but O'Gara makes it.

Ireland try to run back the re-start but knock on inside their own '22. Scrum Georgia.

55 mins Try! Ireland 12 Georgia 10 D'Arcy clean through and Ireland get Dempsey gets in! Try Ireland! Huge relief!!!!

54 mins Relief! Wallace takes the lineout (overthrown) and from his charge, O'Driscoll kicks it into their '22. They clear back into Ireland's half though.

53 mins Flannery in as Best is injured. No Ulster men on the pitch. Best wants to stay on, but the ref says no. Ireland need to make changes anyway.

52 mins Ireland clear but Georgia take a lineout quickly and are near the Irish '22. Ruck ball; they chip and force a Georgian lineout on the Irish line - with their throw in. Could a two score margin be on?!

51 mins Great kick after a fumble in his own goal area by Georgia - their scrum not now functioning well. Ping pong, Georigia clear to Ireland's '22. Great kick by their 10.

49 mins Wallace drives it over the '22. Ireland are close, O'Connell crashes it up. O'Driscoll passes through his legs - brilliant - but then a forward pass after a ruck ends the momentum.

Ireland were close but Georgia are defending like demons. They have changed both props and now bring in a new winger.

48 mins Georgia discipline problem. Simon Easterby gets a slap and from one player, and then a shooing from the Georgian seven. Penalty Ireland on halfway; no yellow though. Ireland lineout on the Georgian '22.

48 mins Georgia claim the ball. Then, a stupid penalty given away by O'Callaghan. Dived over the ruck in real throwback to his early days fashion. Really stupid, and it's Georgia ball on halfway.

47 mins They win it, and clear but only to 10 metres out from their line after a fumble by the scrum half.

46 mins Wallace is back, and an excellent O'Gara kick - looked a much free-er strike than to date - means Georgia lineout on their own line.

45 mins Conversion Ireland 7 Georgia 10 And they knock ithe extras over too.

44 mins Try! Ireland 7 Georgia 8 Disaster. Loopy Stringer pass picked off. Awful. Interception, and Elizbarashvili runs it in from 70 metres out.

43 mins Georgia win the lineout but knock on. Ireland scrum. Goes down - Ireland need this phase to be stable and with Wallace off the field, Leamy takes quick ball and sets it up.

D'Arcy runs but is tackled by two. Ireland move it wide - nice yardage and they look dangerous.

Disaster! Georgia winger intercepts!!!!

42 mins Pen Georgia: John Hayes pinged for bringing the scrum down. Georgia lineout on halfway.

41 mins O'Gara kicks off: Georgia set it up and clear to half way. Not in touch: Leamy catches and drives. Horgan gets in midfield and Ireland drive. Horgan drives again, but it's static now. Stringer's kick isn't good and the winger runs it back well. Georgia ball near their '22 - not coming: scrum Georgia.

8.56pm Second half about to get underway. Georgia stayed on the pitch due to the dressing room being so far away: each to their own!

Ronan O'Gara: must improve if Ireland are to be come more efficient at converting good play into points.

David Wallace

David Wallace is among the Irish players playuing better than last time. Will miss the first seven minutes or so of the second half though.

HALF TIME: IRELAND 7 GEORGIA 3

40 mins Georgia have made 40 yards mauling here. Kick to halfway by the 10 and it's half time.

Ireland are playing very well in patches - close to the sort of rugby that could give big teams a serious problem. Also worth remembering that Argentina were no much on Tuesday (up 6-3 at half time).

The centre pair have been contained so far, however, while O'Gara is in the midst of yet another poor outing. On the plus side, the pack - that late maul aside - look to be coping better. Denis Hickie is also officially back in form.

38 mins Ireland get the ball in hand, but O'Gara's kick is poor. The Georgian 10 tries to take the leather of the ball though, and ends up slicing it sideways. Ireland lineout on the Georgian '22.

O'Gara ball inside to Horgan from nice off the top lineout. O'Driscoll runs at the line but is forced into an error on the far side of the pitch. Scrum Georgia, and they drive Ireland back.

37 mins Penalty Georgia. Ireland 7 Georgia 3. It seems we're going to have a match.

36 mins Ireland turn it over and Horgan drives it at the line but they are turned over themselves and Georgia run it back to the Irish '22. Plenty opportunities here. David Wallace slows it down illegally and is sent to the bin. It's about to get worse too; easy penalty chance.

Ireland were almost in at one end but Georgia's reply was very effective - good running and offloading really had the Irish defence looking disorganised. Referee Barnes is adamant that Wallace was out of order.

34 mins Ireland offload again goes astray - but they are very close to getting back to form. O'Callaghan's quick hands to Leamy are nice but Leamy's effort doesn't quite come off.

34 mins Makanelli (phonetic here - there was a problem with the Georgian 22 and it isn't the one that was named) comes on at full back.

33 mins Hickie runs it back and passes for O'Driscoll to break. The captain's offload doesn't quite come off - Hickie slips - Best goes down on it bravely but knocks on. Scrum Georgia.

32 mins Barkalaia - the full back - who started has a hamstring problem.

32 mins Ireland drive at Georgia, but they turn it over on their own line. Call is offside by Ireland and Georgia get a chance to clear to their own '22. O'Connell was offside by miles. Silly.

30 mins Scrum is coping with Georgian drive - albeit creaking ever so slightly now. Re-set scrum is more solid and Leamy drives from eight. D'Arcy ankle tapped when half through and O'Connell drives it up. O'Driscoll gets Wallace clear and Ireland start to look like the team that hockeyed Italy in March.

O'Gara chips through and Ireland trap the Georgian winger over his own line. Scrum five Ireland out on the right.

A Georgian has pulled up injured - the captain - Ilia Zedginidze - has to go off.

27 mins Ruck and drive on the Georgian '22 but the ref stops play and calls Denis Leamy and Brian O'Driscoll over. Stamp on aGeorgian toe - nothing serious but legitimate pen - by Leamy and it's a penalty to Georgia. Issue of illegal rucking could be crucial before the end.

Georgia clear to halfway.

26 mins Georgia in possession on halfway after winning the '22 dropout. No ability to make yards though and stalled - driven back in places - on half way they eventually opt to kick. Up and under on Hickie, who kicks and excellent return back to the Georgian '22 from close to the touchline.

24 mins Georgia make some yards and the 10 eventually goes for a drop; goes just wide.

24 mins Georgia clear - up and under recovered by their chasers; beating Dempsey. They have a platform on the Irish 10 metre line.

22 mins Another poor kick by O'Gara - attempted 'bomb' for Horgan is short and bounces into touch five yards ahead of where he kicked it from.

21 mins Wallace runs it back - great yards after contact. O'Gara's kick is weak. Ping pong time - and Georgia almost knock on until clearing for an Irish lineout on the 10 metre line.

21 mins Pen missed - why go for the shot there? - '22 Georgia.

19 mins Ireland stop the driving on the '22 and block a drop goal effort: Marcus Horan again doing well. O'Driscoll runs it back well; Ireland eventually win a pen on halfway.

Horan's best 20 minutes in an Ireland shirt in a long time - and the Fields of Athenry are ringing out. Curiously, Ireland opt to take a shot at goal.

17 mins Conversion is good. Ireland 7 Georgia 0. Strange feeling: Ireland actually starting to look like a proper rugby team. Leamy knocks on the re-start though. Scrum Georgia in Ireland's '22.

16 mins TRY! Ireland 5 Georgia 0 Ireland maul again and Rory Best gets in for a try! Georgia lack the ferocity they displayed against Argentina and Ireland rumble over.

16 mins Ireland maul off the lineout - not going anywhere fast, and Georgia get hands on the ball. Ruck now and Ireland spin it wide. Dempsey gets to within five. Horan takes and awful pass from O'Gara and sets it up well. Penalty Ireland for interfering with Ireland's ball on the deck (not rolling away). Another kick to the corner.

15 mins Penalty Ireland: Ireland kick to the corner. Bonus point hunt starts early.

15 mins Time issue resolved: French technicians in getting act together shocker.

15 mins Georgia crash it up off the lineout and have the ball on halfway. Ireland gang tackle and force them back - they kick to Horgan. Ping pong ensues until Dempsey eventually puts it out on the Georgian ten metre line.

12 mins Georgia clear but don't make touch. Dempsey to Horgan, who kicks it out on the full on halfway. Poor.

10 mins Great break by O'Driscoll - tackled but makes a great offload to keep up the pace. Ireland into Georgia's '22 but a Stringer/Hayes transfer goes awry and Georgia clear. Dempsery kicks to the corner. Georgia also fail to find touch and Hickie runs it back. Rory Best fumbles - scrum Georgia between halfway and the '22.

9 mins Up and under by Georgia; Ireland fail to deal with it and it's advantage Georgia. Penalty Ireland though - but Georgia are penalised for an illegal 'challenge' (to use GAA terminology) on David Wallace. Kick to touch and they are in Georgia's half.

9 mins Due to a technical problem, the times (9 mins etc) are something of an estimate. Should be cleared up soon.

8 mins Out-half Kvirakashvili misses from out on the left on the 10 metre line. Ireland '22. O'Connell gives a pen for taking a man in the air. Georgia take a tap and go (unwisely? easy pen if they had gone) and start running. Eventually get blown for a forward pass - the winger touches down in the corner, but it's a scrum to Ireland.

Not a good start though.

7 mins Penalty against Ireland - O'Connell and O'Callaghan stop a Georgian drive, but O'Callaghan gets blown for being on the wrong side. Georgia lining up to take a shot at goal.

5 mins Free kick Ireland - Leamy taps and goes from the scrum, O'Gara kicks but again can't make touch.

4 mins Good sign: Ireland seem to have a definite strength advantage in the fringe collisions. Several of these on the Irish '22, but Ireland stay calm and force a scrum. Good stuff - with O'Callaghan doing particularly well.

1 min Sneaky one, but Ireland cope (low and straight). O'Gara kicks but doesn't make touch. Up and under caught by Dempsey. Stringer and O'Gara don't connect and the ball is on the deck in the Irish '22 until O'Gara recovers and clears to just past the '22.

Far from ideal.

8pm Georgia to kick off.

7.58pm Anthem time: Georgia's is a nice slow number; impervious to, or perhaps even improved, by the general trend of anthems being speeded up. Like Namibia, the Georgians are 'swayers'; a bad omen? Let's hope not.

How's Ireland's Call? Better than last time; Ireland look serious and focussed. Only some players are singing from the hymn sheet (as it were); although the management team are all belting out the words.

Due to a late injury, Georgia have a new full back: Barkalaia out for

7.54pm Teams on the way out; Georgia in white and Ireland in green. Mostly Ireland supporters with some pockets of Georgian fans.

Brian O'Driscoll takes the lead in the team talk huddle: looks like serious stuff.

7.53pm Wayne Barnes, Maloclm Changleng and Paul Marks are the ref and touch judge combo. Barnes was in charge for the 'Battle of Bayonne'.

7.52pm: Want to know what Brent Pope and Conor O'Shea think? Check out Expert View.

7.50pm Eddie O'Sullivan had been under pressure to make changes after the poor showing against Namibia, but aside from switching in frontliner Shane Horgan for Andrew Trimble, he named the same fifteen.