What time and TV channel is Georgia vs Ireland on today?
Actually, the good news is that players such as Jamie Osborne, Sam Prendergast, Craig Casey and Ryan Baird are in situ while recently capped Jimmy O'Brien, Thomas Clarkson, Cormac Izuchukwu and Gus McCarthy are in the group.There are two debutants in the line-up, Leinster's powerhouse winger Tommy O'Brien who could do no wrong post-Christmas and Connacht's beanpole second-row Darragh Murray (pronounced Muh-ray if you must know...)Munster cause-celebre Gavin Coombes gets a chance to make his case with a rare inclusion.Georgia have mustered a selection show-casing nine players who play in France, six from the Top 14 and three from PROD2 (see team sheet at bottom).The other six are with Black Lions, the side selected from their domestic league and coached by national coach Richard Cockerill that represents Georgia on an invite in the EPCR European Challenge Cup. They've beaten Scarlets 23-7 in Llanelli in 2023 and Vannes 22-19 in Tbilisi 2024.It mightn't get any easier with those coming from the bench either as it has a similar Top14/PROD2/Black Lion make up. Tedo Abzhandadze, incidentally, went to Terenure College.Here is what you need to know about the match:Where and when is it?The match takes place at the Mikheil Meskhi Stadium, Tbilisi on Saturday, July 5.What time is kick-off?The action gets under way at 6pm Irish time.Who are the match officials?Referee: Andrea Piardi (Italy)Assistant referees: Adam Leal (England) & Ben Whitehouse (Wales)TMO: Matteo Liperini (Italy)QUOTES CORNERPaul O'Connell, Interim Ireland coach said: "They have a mixture of players playing in France who bring a real, I suppose, flair to what they do and the Black Lion players have impressed a lot of the coaches as well. The likes of Mikeil Babunasvili and Luke Ivanasvilli from a forward point of view, these kinds of guys are really tough, well organised, smart rugby players."They had a good Autumn, nearly beating Italy, they had a good summer, they put 29 points on Australia down there although they didn't beat them. They beat a tier one nation in Japan. They've been steadily beating tier one nations in the last number of years. So it's a brilliant test match for our players."Georgia Coach Richard Cockerill on the burning agenda in Georgia rugby: "If you are finishing bottom of the Six Nations why do you just get free rein to turn up next year and play?"We want the opportunity to prove that we can compete, so surely that's logical we get the opportunity to have a play-off."We feel we are probably a little bit too strong for the second level tournament although the other teams are improving, especially Spain and Romania, but for us to improve we need to play at a tougher level. Italy had that opportunity in the early 2000s."It would be the richest game in World Rugby - Georgia versus Wales at some point in the near future to see who plays in the Six Nations for the next tournament. That's jeopardy, isn't it? That would be a game people would want to watch."We feel we've earned the right, we want the opportunity to prove that potentially we're good enough to compete on a regular basis at that level."Debutant Tommy O'Brien, just turned 27, finally fully fit and finishing the season as one of Leinster's most valued players: "I guess I've known what I can do in training but it's obviously behind closed doors so the general public wouldn't see it."But I had a bit of confidence in what I was doing and the fact you're training in Leinster with such high level players, such international quality players, I took a bit of confidence from that and I felt I just needed to get a chance to get a couple of games under my belt.DID YOU KNOW: Ireland beat Georgia 14-10 at RWC 2007 - thanks to Denis Leamy getting his hand under the ball preventing a touchdown after Georgia had crossed the Irish line looking to touch down in the 78th minute. DID YOU KNOW: Georgia are ranked no11 in the world, one place above Wales.BETTING ODDSGeorgia win: 7/1Ireland win: 1/10Draw: 35/1What TV CHANNEL IS IT ON?The match will be shown on Virgin Media - Joe Molloy will lead coverage with Ian Madigan, Andrew Trimble as studio analysts. John Forrest will be commentator with Alan Quinlan as co-commentator. Coverage begins 5.30pmTEAMSGeorgia : 15 Davit Niniashvili (Lyon); 14 Akaki Tabutsadze (Black Lion), 13 Demur Tapladze (Grenoble), 12 Giorgi Kveseladze (Black Lion), 11 Sandro Todua (Black Lion); 10 Luka Matkava (Castres), 9 Vasil Lobzhanidze (Oyonnax);1 Giorgi Akhaladze (ASM Clermont), 2 Vano Karkadze (Montpellier), 3 Irakli Aptsiauri Lyon), 4 Mikheil Babunashvili (Black Lion), 5 Lado Chachanidze (Black Lion), 6 Luka Ivanishvili (Black Lion), 7 Beka Saghinadze (Lyon), 8 Tornike Jalagonia (Provence),Replacements: 16 Irakli Kvatadze (Black Lion), 17 Giorgi Tetrashvili (Perpignan), 18 Beka Gigashvili (Toulon), 19 Giorgi Javakhia (Grenoble), 20 Ilia Spanderashvili (Valence), 21 Mikheil Alania (Black Lion), 22 Tedo Abzhandadze (Aurillac), 23 Tornike Kakhoidze (Black Lion).Ireland: 15 Jimmy O'Brien; 14 Tommy O'Brien, 13 Jamie Osborne, 12 Stuart McCloskey, 11 Jacob Stockdale; 10 Sam Prendergast, 9 Craig Casey; 1 Jack Boyle, 2 Gus McCarthy, 3 Thomas Clarkson, 4 Cormac Izuchukwu, 5 Darragh Murray, 6 Ryan Baird, 7 Nick Timony, 8 Gavin CoombesReplacements: 16 Tom Stewart, 17 Michael Milne, 18 Jack Aungier, 19 Tom Ahern, 20 Cian Prendergast, 21 Ben Murphy, 22 Jack Crowley, 23 Calvin Nash.
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RTÉ News
an hour ago
- RTÉ News
Tommy O'Brien grabs brace as Ireland pass Georgia test
Ireland started their Summer Test series with a comfortable if scrappy win over Georgia in Tbilisi. A largely second string outfit, under interim coach Paul O'Connell, scored four tries and never looked in danger of a first ever loss to the Lelos. Tommy O'Brien marked his debut with two well taken scores inside the opening eight minutes, while captain Craig Casey and Nick Timoney helped themselves to second-half tries. Out-half Sam Prendergast was flawless off the tee, converting all four tries and adding two penalties. There were also debuts for Darragh Murray, Michael Milne, Jack Aungier, Tom Ahern and Ben Murphy as Ireland made light of the absence of 16 players on Lions duty, seeing off a Georgia team who had their eye on an upset. O'Connell said: "It's a very important game, a lot of players away with the Lions. "We've had a load of guys dying for an opportunity and you wonder how they will take that opportunity. "I'm very happy with how they went about their business, they had a load of intent in what they did and they were really accurate with that intent." More to follow... Georgia: Davit Niniashvili; Aka Tabutsadze, Demur Tapladze, Giorgi Kveseladze, Sandro Todua; Luka Matkava, Vasil Lobzhanidze; Giorgi Akhaladze, Vano Karkadze, Irakli Aptsiauri; Mikheil Babunashvili, Lado Chachanidze; Luka Ivanishvili, Beka Saghinadze (capt), Tornike Jalagonia. Replacements: Irakli Kvatadze, Giorgi Tetrashvili, Beka Gigashvili, Guram Ganiashvili, Ilia Spalacknderashvili, Mikheil Alania, Tedo Abzhandadze, Tornike Kakhoidze. Ireland: Jimmy O'Brien; Tommy O'Brien, Jamie Osborne, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale; Sam Prendergast, Craig Casey (capt); Jack Boyle, Gus McCarthy, Thomas Clarkson; Cormac Izuchukwu, Darragh Murray; Ryan Baird, Nick Timoney, Gavin Coombes.
Irish Examiner
an hour ago
- Irish Examiner
Paul O'Connell's makeshift Ireland have too much for Georgia
Summer Test: Georgia 5 Ireland 34 Ireland did all that was required of them in difficult conditions in Tbilisi as Paul O'Connell's side ran in four tries to make it six wins from six against Georgia. The makeshift side, as expected, encountered difficulties against the renowned Georgian scrum but did more than enough to manage the game and prevent a loss to Richard Cockerill's side before they head to Lisbon to take on Portugal next Saturday. Georgia, with 14 of their matchday 23 currently with French clubs, including nine starters, knew this was a glorious opportunity to make a mark against a tier one country in Tbilisi, a match they switched to Mikheil Meskhi Stadium, the football ground with a capacity of over 27,000 but it was not full. Their hopes of taking out a Six Nations country for only the third time, three years on from defeating Italy, were certainly boosted by the heavy rain which fell in the Georgian capital throughout the night for a game that kicked off at 9pm local time. Interim head coach O'Connell knew the value of a strong start to curb the Georgian enthusiasm and his side certainly delivered, racing into a 14-0 lead after just eight minutes. As debuts go Tommy O'Brien could scarcely have hoped for a better start, crossing for his first try after just 95 second and then getting in for another six minutes later. A chip from Sam Prendergast was deflected into his flight path as he chased through to score beside the posts and he was involved in the move which led to his second, again chasing a Prendergast chip, catching and sending a grubber in one movement with Georgian scrum-half Vasil Lobzhanidze forced to concede a five-metre scrum after the ball unkindly hit the bottom of the left post and came back to him as he chased back. Ireland held firm in that initial scrum with Craig Casey feeding Prendergast and his long, looping pass out wide was taken by O'Brien to score in the right corner. Prendergast landed a superb conversion to make it 14-0. Those scores really deflated Georgia's big night but they built through the phases, the difficult handling conditions leading to plenty of scrums for them to work their way into the game and it took a good retreating tackle from Jamie Osborne to deny winger Aka Tabutsadze after Jacob Stockdale missed a tackle on La Rochelle bound full-back Davit Niniashvili. Italian TMO Matteo Liperini did his utmost to convince his compatriot referee Andrea Piardi to award the try despite the winger clearly losing possession but the referee — no stranger to Munster fans following that incident in the Bulls game in the URC last season — overruled his assistant and rightly disallowed the try. Georgia got an edge in the scrums but didn't make the most of it, not least hooker Vano Karkadze whose over-exuberance in celebrating a scrum penalty let to a melee and a reversal of the decision. Ireland failed to make the break count, with hooker Gus McCarthy pinged for a crooked throw in the left corner. Prendergast kept Georgia turning with some neat kicking from the hand, but it wasn't flawless either from him and they struggled to build phases. Niniashvili did well to deny Prendergast in the corner after Tommy O'Brien turned provider, while Stockdale's night ended four minutes from the break when he went off with what seemed a shoulder injury, with Calvin Nash coming on for his eleventh cap. Georgia struck a telling blow before the break. They were rewarded for not putting the ball out inside their own 22 when they won a penalty after another slow Irish move broke down and a series of penalties down field ended with a fine try off a lineout in the left corner when No.8 Tornike Jalagonia, who plays for Provence in the French ProD2, powered over to leave it 14-5 at the break. Ireland made a great start to the second half. Gavin Coombes collected a clearance, sent Calvin Nash away down the left before Ryan Baird took it on and he held off the challenge of centre Demur Tapladze long enough for Craig Casey to get on his shoulder and the scrum-half crowned his first match as captain with a try. Prendergast converted and then landed a penalty from 35 metres after debutant lock Darragh Murray had stolen a Georgian lineout to push the lead out to 24-5. Coombes, winning his third cap four years after his last one, came more into the game and did well to deny Georgian hooker Karkadze in the left corner after the Georgians had gone to touch with a penalty. Both sides starting emptying their benches with Michael Milne becoming the third Irish debutant on the night when he came on for Boyle, while on the other side of the scrum Connacht's Jack Aungier made his bow after 69 minutes when he replaced Clarkson, by which time Waterford native Tom Ahern came on for his first international cap when he replaced Cormac Izuchukwu. Max Deegan, a pre-match replacement for Cian Prendergast who was ruled out with a bug, came on for his first cap in four years when he replaced Coombes 15 minutes from time. Nick Timoney, in the international wilderness since 2022, made it four tries in four appearances when he did well to get through winger Tabutsadze and out-half Matkava after a crosskick from Prendergast set him up in the left corner. Prendergast converted from the last touchline to make it six from six before making way for Jack Crowley, while scrum-half Ben Murphy became the sixth debutant and third from Connacht on the night when he replaced Casey. O'Brien came close to completing his hat-trick seven minutes from time but Nash was not able to link with him as they opened the home defence. Ireland finished with 14 men when centre Stuart McCloskey was binned for not retreating ten metres at a penalty but Ireland defended a late Georgia surge despite being down a man. Scorers: Georgia: Tries: T Jalagonia. Ireland: Tries: T O'Brien (2), C Casey, N Timoney. Cons: S Prendergast (4). Pens: Prendergast (2). GEORGIA: D Niniashvili, A Tabutsadze, D Tapladze (T Kakhoidze 61), G Kveseladze, S Todua, L Matkava, V Lobzhanidze; G Akhaladze (G Tetrashvili 55), V Karkadze (I Kvatadze 55), I Aptsiauri (B Gigashvili 55); M Babunashvili, L Chachanidze, L Ivanishvili (Guram Ganiashvili 75), B Saghinadze, T Jalagonia (I Spanderashvili 55). IRELAND: J O'Brien; T O'Brien, J Osborne, S McCloskey, J Stockdale (C Nash 36); S Prendergast (J Crowley 70), C Casey (capt) (B Murphy 70); J Boyle (M Milne 59), G McCarthy (T Stewart 59), T Clarkson (J Aungier 69); C Izuchukwu (T Ahern 63), D Murray; R Baird, N Timoney, G Coombes (M Deegan 65). Referee: Andrea Piardi (Italy)
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2 hours ago
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