Exeter: Georgia skipper Mamuka Gorgodze guided his jittery team to an error-ridden 17-16 victory over Namibia early this morning which all but guaranteed their place at the 2019 World Cup in Japan.
Georgia had to come from behind to narrowly thwart the African nation’s effort to win their first ever World Cup game. But they did get their first ever point – a bonus for coming so close to Georgia’s score.
Namibia have now lost 18 straight games over five World Cups, although the lowest ranked team in the tournament remained competitive throughout the match at Exeter’s Sandy Park.
New Zealand must beat Tonga tomorrow to confirm Georgia’s third place in Pool C, which would mean the east Europeans miss the arduous qualifying process for the next World Cup in Japan.
But the first-half would have had Georgia coach Milton Haig pulling his hair out, his team failing to convert their superiority in all facets of the game into points.
Namibia lost inspirational skipper Jacques Burger to concussion in the 10th minute and somehow led 6-0 at half-time – despite missing 33 tackles – thanks to two Theuns Kotze penalties.
But Gorgodze crossed for a try early in the second-half to settle nerves, with Lasha Malaguradze also going over, Merab Kvirikashvili kicking two conversions and a penalty.
Kotze ensured a tight finish with a third penalty and his own converted try with five minutes to play.
Kotze had Namibia off to a flying start, kicking a penalty after Georgia infringed from the kick-off. But Georgia showed off their set-piece power at the first scrum, forcing Namibia into a fast retreat to allow scrum-half Vasil Lobzhanidze to scoot dangerously down the wing.
As the ball was recycled left, there was a disaster for the Africans as Burger caught his head on the hip of outstanding centre Merab Sharikadze.
The Namibian scrum was in disarray, Georgia unlucky to be denied tries by winger Alexander Todua and prop Davit Zirakashvili as a result.