Georgia prepares for historic Rugby World Cup result in Namibia clash
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Georgia’s national rugby team is looking to achieve their first ever automatic Rugby World Cup qualification for the 2019 tournament when they face Namibia at Sandy Park in Exeter on Wednesday.
The Lelos are gearing up for one the most important games in the sport’s history – challenging Namibia in their last Rugby World Cup 2015 Pool C match. After losing to the All Blacks of New Zealand on Friday night, the Lelos are looking to play an exciting, dominant match.
A win against Namibia will ensure Georgia receives a spot at the 2019 Rugby World Cup among the world’s top 12 national teams.
Coach Milton Haig has been resting the strongest line-up for Wednesday’s clash. Earlier he stressed the importance of having his preferred players rested by omitting them from their previous game against the All Blacks.
”The guys who didn’t play against New Zealand are running around like spring chickens at training now and that was always the plan to give us the best shot of winning this next game,” Haig told the official World Cup website on Monday.
Georgia coach Milton Haig has been choosing his World Cup line-ups with an eye on the match against Namibia. Photo by www.rugbyworldcup.com.
Georgia’s coach has made 10 changes to the starting 15 following his team’s first ever game against the All Blacks; a match where Georgia’s performance was praised by tournament commentators.
The official World Cup website noted the extent of changes via its Twitter page, also posting the starting 15 against Namibia:
PACK UP Only Mamuka Gorgodze remains from #GEO's forwards who started against #NZL to face #NAM on Wednesday #GEOvNAMpic.twitter.com/Z2aeUmH7JR
— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) October 5, 2015
Lelos captain Mamuka Gorgodze will move back from the forward position, where he played against the All Blacks, to his preferred number eight spot for what will be his 11th Rugby World Cup match, a record cap for Georgia.
The all-important match for Georgia kicks off at 8pm UK time (11pm Georgia time) tomorrow.
The Lelos trained for the crucial clash at Exeter’s Woodbury Park on Monday before hosting local kids for a masterclass training.
The team’s preparations and interaction with the children were captured on camera for the team’s regular Diaries from England series:
Georgia’s national rugby team made history by scoring a try in their first ever game against current world champions New Zealand in last night’s Rugby World Cup game at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales.
Top government officials and retired Georgian rugby players will put on a rugby jersey and take part in a special match in capital Tbilisi this evening in support of the national team’s crucial clash against Namibia at the 2015 Rugby World Cup on Wednesday.
But did Lelos qualify for the 2019 Japan RWC?
Georgia is on the verge of making history and automatically qualifying for the 2019 Rugby World Cup after beating Namibia 17-16 in the closest-yet 2015 World Cup match in Exeter on last night.
Georgia’s national rugby team has made history and automatically qualified for the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan.