Australia 40-29 Georgia: men’s rugby union international – as it happened

20 Jul 202410.11 CEST

Summary

Jonathan Howcroft

Thank you for joining me this afternoon as the Wallabies continue to build momentum under Joe Schmidt.

Life gets considerably tougher three weeks from now when the Springboks arrive for the start of The Rugby Championship. We’ll be back here to cover all the action from Suncorp Stadium. Until then, I’ll leave you with today’s match report from Sydney and encourage you to keep your eyes peeled for more reaction and analysis over the coming days.

All the Wallabies interviewed coming off the field mentioned discipline as an area of concern, which seems standard practice, and Georgia’s bright spells were nearly always the result of Australia losing control of the breakdown. The concession of 29 points will sting with the Australian brains trust knowing they’re unlikely to put 40 past the Springboks in a couple of weeks.

There was also the 20-minute red card handed to Daugunu for his poorly timed attempted smother that turned into a knee to the face of Todua to demonstrate how quickly fortunes can change at this level.

For the Wallabies – a win’s a win. For a forward pack under scrutiny against a tough Georgian unit it was an excellent afternoon. Four scrum victories (two against the feed) were complemented by a lineout that was dangerous all over the park. McReight, Valetini, Wilson, and Frost were all prominent and took the intiative whenever there was an opening.

Behind them the centre partnership of Paisami and Ikitau showed its class and McDermott was superb, especially in the first-half, supplying quick ball and taking the game on with some incisive running. The same cannot be said about his partner in the halves, Donaldson, who was frequently caught in possession and kicked poorly.

After such a high-scoring chaotic match there’s a lot to pick through.

Starting with Georgia, it’s clear they deserve their place at the upper echelon of Test rugby and are worthy of as much exposure as possible to facilitate their development. Tabutsandze’s extraordinary 100m try to bring the visitors within two points must rank as one of the most incredible moments in Georgian rugby history, but there was an inability to grind through the following five to ten minutes and repeat penalties eventually cost them dearly.

The Wallabies make it three from three under Joe Schmidt following a high-scoring affair in Sydney.

78 mins: The kick to the right touchline sets up a 10m attacking lineout. The maul forms and rumbles to 5m. Australia steady, forcing Georgia to spread the ball infield. Two white jerseys smash into the line at speed. Quick ball invites Georgia to stream to the left at pace. The opportunity presents itself but Matkava can’t execute the offload as Lancaster nails an excellent tackle and Wright is gifted an interception.

76 mins: Lolesio misses his kick for touch! Georgia try to run the ball back but can’t find any open field and get bogged down at repeat breakdowns. There’s an advantage on the play though and the visitors will get one final opportunity.

75 mins: The Wallabies win their third scrum of the day – this time off a Georgian feed as the front row collapses under the referee’s nose.

74 mins: Australia are soon back into their work through the impressive Wilson, but again their’s a penalty to Georgia in contact who get manage to get four resolute tacklers around the ball-carrier and deny ball movement.

72 mins: Donaldson makes a half-break with a nice dummy then Wilson hits the line hard. White is careful at the breakdown, piecing the Wallabies downfield on the left. Frost shows good hands again as momentum starts to build but Donaldson gets caught isolate infield and he’s bullied on the ground as Georgia force the turnover.

Georgia accept the Australian error and kick long to the 22 on the left. The lineout is secured and a slow maul milks the advantage. The Georgian backline then gets to work, Matkava drawing out the blitz defence, with his teammates holding their nerve and creating enough space on the right touchline for the rampaging Tabutsandze to make a mess of Wright’s despairing tackle and cross in the corner!

Matkava can’t add the extras from wide on the right.

67 mins: As replacements flood the field Australia win just the second scrum of the match. The attack off the back to the left is sharp and Ikitau almost frees Lancaster. Play heads back infield and some incredible skill form Frost turns slow ball into a dangerous attack. Wright tries to keep it going near the right touchline but his audacious flick is too much for Paisami.

Australia kick long to the right corner yet again. Yet again the lineout is crisp. Yet again the maul forms. Yet again McReight comes up smiling after spinning around the mass of big bodies. This time it counts! Australia’s set-piece play has been outstanding today.

Donaldson continues to rack up the points with a routine conversion.

62 mins: It’s still a nine-point game as Georgia grind through a couple of phases knowing they have another minute with a man disadvantage. The box kick is claimed by Wright but the Wallabies can’t get any go-forward and McDermott is forced to kick in return. The visitors are slow to get bodies to the resulting breakdown and Frost is too big and too strong and he forces the turnover.

60 mins: This time the maul forms. This time there’s a shunt. This time the momentum is irresistible and there’s another forward pack collective try that goes to… McReight! It could have gone to Alaalatoa, it could have gone to Nasser, but in the end McReight pinches the honours.

But there’s a delay awarding the score while the TMO studies the formation of the maul. From the lineout it appears Valetini got on the wrong side a fraction too soon and there’s an obstruction. No try.

59 mins: The kick to the right corner sets up a 5m lineout but the maul is collapsed before the Wallabies can get a shunt forward. We’re back in the same place soon afterwards though with Georgia penalised yet again.

57 mins: It’s the Wallabies now with the man advantage and the momentum in the contest has swung dramatically. There’s another penalty advantage on the play for Australia and it doesn’t take long for the whistle to blow and Georgia receive a stern ticking off for their discipline.

But the Wallabies will not be denied a second time! An innocuous lineout near halfway sees McReight break the game wide open off the palm down. He bursts into open field, exchanges passes with Wilson, accepts contact, and Valetini is on the sport to pick and go and crash over from a metre out. Superb broken field footy from Australia’s forwards.

Donaldson swings over another excellent conversion.

54 mins: 14 v 14 and Australia take the quick penalty and pick-and-go for the line. They’re over – Ikitau – but somehow Matkava wrestles the ball free as the Australian tries to spin down.

The Wallabies need to change the momentum and Valetini does just that, hitting the line hard after the clearing penalty to the right corner. There’s quick multiphase play and Niniashvili accepts a yellow card for interfering in the ruck miles offside.

52 mins: The Wallabies breathe a sigh of relief with an offside penalty near halfway as Georgia step up their intensity, streaming off the line to line up some big hits. Donaldson, who has struggled this afternoon, is caught a couple of times before Australia accept the referee’s whistle.

51 mins: Georgia have busted this game wide open since half-time, taking full advantage of their extra man.

There was an advantage on the play and the Wallabies kick to the right corner. Lineout ball is rapid and McDermott is again the man on the burst wriggling his way towards the line. Georgia stop him in his tracks though, force the turnover, and then they play out from their own line… and how! Two passes sends them from the corner to the posts. One more has them looking at an overlap on the right. A long kick towards halfway sets up a thrilling chase and Tabutsandze wins it! He wrestles possession from Lancaster and charges unopposed under the posts! That must be the greatest moment in the history of Georgian rugby! A 100m try in Sydney against the Wallabies. Wow!

Matkava continues his solid afternoon with two more points. Georgia can sniff an upset.

46 mins: Just as with the first half, another sharp Australian attack ends with a spillage. McDermott turned stodgy ball into something dangerous with a couple of quick steps, but with Donaldson on his shoulder the pass goes to ground.

Both sides make heavy work of possession either side of halfway but then Georgia pinch a turnover and quickly get to work. Niniashvili is central, hitting the line hard and finding a quick offload. The white shirts stream forward as Georgia enjoy a couple of strokes of luck, first somehow not knocking on when they lose possession in contact, then benefiting from Niniashvili kicking on straight into a gold jersey, collecting the ricochet, and jogging under the crossbar. Could we have a game on this second half with Australia a player down?

Matkava dabs over a couple more points.

41 mins: Australia get us back under way in Sydney.

Daugunu is done for the day after his yellow card was upgraded during half-time. Australia will remain at 14-men for another 14 minutes.

Here’s the set-piece try just before the break. Excellent work from Australia’s pack.

Elsewhere in the world of international rugby the All Blacks hammered Fiji in San Diego to continue their winning start under Scott Robertson.

The Wallabies take a healthy lead into the break courtesy of a promising four-try opening half.

Lovely set-piece try from the Wallabies. That will delight the backroom staff. A short sharp throw Blyth who is then swarmed on by gold jerseys who get forward momentum and drive their way over the line in the blink of an eye. McReight is credited with the five points, but that was a classic team effort.

Donaldson swings over a beautiful conversion from the touchline.

37 mins: Matkava misses the long range penalty. Australia clear their lines and Lancaster capitalises on some poor Georgian defence to run the Wallabies into attacking territory. The 14-men take their time, setting up a long slow series of phases, grinding their way towards the line, enjoying a long penalty advantage on the play. Eventually the ball goes to ground, the penalty is awarded and McDermott kicks to the left corner.

The TMO is having a good luck at Daugunu for charging the Georgian kicker. It was innocuous in its action – just the winger leaping to try to smother Todua’s chip and chase – but it’s a horribly mistimed effort and the Australian’s momentum takes his raised knee into the cheek of the Georgian. It looks uglier with every replay and soon a yellow card looks inevitable. The referee announces that while the sin-binning is taking place the offence could yet be upgraded.

Finally, finally Georgia get over! From the umpteenth pick-and-go under the posts the massive frame of Babunashvili touches down. That was a long spell of concerted possession and Australia rode their luck to hold out for as long as they did.

Matkava turns a hardworking five into an easy seven.