Ireland Under-20s score late try to avoid shock defeat by Georgia – The Irish Times

Rugby World Under-20 Championship: Ireland 22 Georgia 16

Captain Evan O’Connell says Ireland will need to improve when they face Australia in the deciding pool match next Tuesday after securing victory in the most dramatic fashion possible to keep their Rugby World Cup Under-20 Championship hopes alive in South Africa.

Ireland, last year’s runners-up and one of the big favourites this summer, looked set for a surprise defeat when they trailed 16-15 with time running out and tried to win the ball back from midfield.

But in a way that his uncle Paul, the Irish forwards coach, had done on many occasions for Munster, O’Connell led the way as Willie Faloon’s men worked through a 25-phase, inch-by-inch move that ended with the ball finally being passed wide after the cover had been pulled and replacement winger Finn Treacy scoring the winner into the left corner.

The justice system was harsh on Georgia but it keeps Ireland on course for the semi-finals, although O’Connell was quick to point out they will need to improve if they are to overcome Australia in the deciding pool match next Tuesday.

“We know we’re going to have to do a lot better next week,” O’Connell said. “There’s no easy game in this tournament. We’ve just taken each game as it comes and now we’re going to start focusing on next week.”

“They were a very physical team and just scoring that try in the corner got us going.”

Treacy, who is part of Connacht’s academy, kept his cool to collect a bouncing pass from his former Pres Bray team-mate Jack Murphy and provide the finish that got Ireland out of jail after a thrilling contest at the Danie Craven Stadium.

Ireland led 12-6 at the end of a first half they dominated by playing with the wind, but struggled to break down a resolute Georgian defence.

Ireland had feared the Georgian scrum but on the whole they held their own in that area but surprisingly their touch wavered and a few chances were missed from promising positions in the first half.

Both teams were guilty of sloppy management in the sticky conditions before the afternoon rain in Stellenbosch and Ireland had to settle for a six-point half-time lead.

As in their resounding win over Italy in the opening game, Ireland opened the scoring through a penalty won by Sean Edogbo in his own half. Ireland took the throw-in and after debutant Ruben Moloney was stopped in a multi-phase move, the experienced Hugh Gavin cut a perfect line to head over, with Connacht academy team-mate Sean Naughton adding the extras to make it 7-0 after six minutes.

Moloney took the lead four minutes later when he cut a superb line through midfield but the score was cancelled out when right prop Andrew Sparrow was booked for obstruction on the edge of the ruck.

The new rules, which require players to test new smart mouthguards, led to Georgia defender Davit Mtchedlidze being called back to the ground for an HIA before returning after 12 minutes.

Ireland scored their second try late in the first quarter when another multi-phase move from wing to wing ended with Gavin setting up Stephen Smyth with a lovely pass from the back and the hooker cutting inside before scoring an unconverted try near the right corner.

Ireland adjusted their lineout before the break but Georgia also readjusted their scrum and won a couple of penalties and, as they finally built some play, senior capped Luka Tsirekidze scored two good penalties to reduce the deficit to 12-6 at half-time.

Georgia set a marker on the restart when they were awarded a penalty on an Irish scrum and after going down the right side, a series of drives, with centres Giorgi Khaindrava and Luka Kobauri gaining the most ground, ended with captain and number eight Nika Lomidze cutting in for a converted try that put them 13-12 ahead after 46 minutes.

They went all out with a kickable penalty from the 22nd line three minutes later but, to Ireland’s relief, they were penalised for obstruction after taking the five-metre lineout.

Ireland, having brought on Munster’s Brian Gleeson at number 8 to try to stem the flow, countered and Naughton brought them back in front with a penalty inside the 22 before the half-back was replaced by Jack Murphy.

But it was Georgia who took the lead and charged forward, and it took desperate defending from O’Connell, Edogbo and Smyth to keep them at bay.

Georgia had a couple of chances to finish, but Tsirekidze was somewhat off target with two 30-metre penalties in the final ten minutes.

Those misses kept Ireland in the game and they took advantage to save a dramatic winning try and they will now turn their attention to their final pool game next Tuesday when they face Australia.

Ireland goalscorers: Essays: H Gavin, S Smyth, F Treacy. Against: S Naughton, J Murphy. Pen: Naughton. Georgia’s scorers: Essay: N Lomidze. Con: L Tsirekidze. Pens: Tsirekidze (3)

Ireland: B. O’Connor; D. Colbert, S. Berman, H. Gavin, R. Moloney; S. Naughton, O. Coffey; J. Boyd, S. Smyth, A. Sparrow; J. McKillop, E. O’Connell; S. Edogbo, M. Flynn, L. Murphy. Replacements: P Bell for Boyd at half time, B Gleeson for L Murphy (46), A Mullan for Sparrow (51), J Murphy for Naughton (57), A Spicer for McKillop (64), F Treacy for Moloney (65), M Yarr for Flynn (78).

Georgia: O Metreveli; L Khorbaladze, L Kobauri, G Khaindrava, L Keshelava; L. Tsirekidze, A. Jigauri; L. Ungiadze; M. Khakhubia, D. Mchedlidze; D Lagvilava, T Tsulukidze; L. Suluashvili, A. Dvali, N. Lomidze. Replacements: D Kuntelia for Mchedlidze 11-23 min HIA, L Kotorashvili for Ungiadze (57), S Kheladze for Khakhubia (62), M Tskhadadze for Tsulukidze (62), T Ganiashvili for Lomidze 72), M Kachlavashvili for Jigauri (62), T Burtikashvili for Keshelava (75).

Arbitrator: Reuben Keane (Australia)