East is east, and west is west, and never the twain shall meet? Well, nowadays the Irish rugby team seem to encounter nothing else and after a pre-season in Poland, Ireland will meet Eastern European opposition for the third time in the first month of the season today. Gerry Thornley reports
Given they're all cut from the same cloth, so to speak, no one in the West will be better versed in Eastern promise come tea-time.
In style, content, and location, Georgia come "from the same stable", as Eddie O'Sullivan puts it, as Romania and Russia. Indeed, as the most rapidly improving new rugby nation - from what was the old Soviet Union - Georgia overtook, not only Russia, but also Romania when winning the European Nations Cup (in effect the B division of the Six Nations) two seasons ago.
Earlier this year, admittedly, Georgia were held to a 12-all draw in Tbilisi by Russia before losing at home to Romania in their most recent match, last April, 31-23 to Romania, but the pattern of the last couple of years certainly does suggest that Romania and Russia were excellent benchmarks for Ireland in advance of today's second World Cup qualifier.
Despite a small playing base of just 15 clubs and about 500 adult players, and another 1,000 "teenage players", a progressive federation has helped Georgia to make particularly striking progress in the IRB world sevens series.
After an undistinguished showing in one of the earlier legs in Durban, when losing to the Arabian Gulf and Kenya, they dropped out for a while before reappearing in the penultimate leg in London last May, where they held Australia to a 24-7 win and then beat both Ireland (12-7) and Scotland (20-14) to win the Shield. Interestingly too, Ireland only overcame their Georgian counterparts by 34-12 in the IRB/FIRA World Under-19 Championship in Treviso last March.
With two weeks to go before their crunch meeting at home to Russia, the Georgians are clearly much nearer full strength today than when losing 70-0 here four years ago. Indeed, compared to the side which last played at Lansdowne Road, they retain only one of that starting line-up, then captain Vano Nadiradze, and one of today's replacements Vassell Katsadze.
However, backing up O'Sullivan's repeated assertion that the Georgians rested a chunk of their frontline players against Ireland in advance of their narrow failure at Lansdowne Road against Romania four days later, four of the replacements four years ago start today, including the well-travelled Montferrand prop Levan Tsabadze, a former Olympic wrestler.
Supporting the view of Russian coach James Stoffberg that the Georgian scrum is one of their primary strengths, four of their tight five are based with first division clubs in France, while hooker Akvsenti Guiorgadze plays with Rovigo.
All told, a dozen of the side are based in France, and two in Italy, with centre Kakha Alania the only home-based player in their starting line-up.
Stoffberg also stressed, however, that the Georgians would struggle to live with Ireland if they can get some tempo and width to their game.
"That would have been the plan against Russia but we didn't get the tempo and we didn't get the width, because one, we were very tired on the field, and the pitch was very small," said O'Sullivan.
Today's game is notable for the first use of a refurbished pitch at Lansdowne Road at a cost of €400,000 and overseen by head groundswoman Majella Smith.
"The pitch is great to run and it's something that will help our game," said captain Anthony Foley. "We have a very talented back line and whatever benefits them will benefit us."
With the lure of four tickets for the price of two at the game, O'Sullivan has been mindful to warn off notions of a reprise of the 70-win four years ago. Even so, an improvement on the performance levels of the last two outings is expected.
On returning to "our own back yard", O'Sullivan says: "We should get the width but we'll only do that if we get the hard yards done on the inside and give ourselves good go-forward ball. If we don't get the basics right, then we won't get the width. It's the same no matter who you play."
The turnover count went down from 16 against Romania to 10 against Russia according to assistant coach Declan Kidney, and they'll be looking to reduce that tally further today. Most of all though, Ireland have to start varying their running game and getting their target runners over the gain line, if they are to play the type of high-tempo game they're striving for. Having scrumhalf Peter Stringer coming out with a bucket and spade to do some excavating for ruck ball is simply no use to them.
No one knows this more than a slightly frustrated O'Sullivan.
"It's what we're always trying to do. Rugby is a much easier game when you can deliver quick ruck ball and that comes down a lot of the time to good, quality possession and good first strikes."
In other World Cup qualifying games today, Italy can also secure a place in the finals if they beat Romania in Parma, while Namibia host Tunisia at Windhoek. Presuming Ireland join Australia and Argentina in the finals in Pool A, they will meet the winners of the Namibia-Tunisia play-off, with the group completed by another European qualifier, i.e. Georgia, Russia, Romania or Spain.
Previous meetings: 1998:_ Ireland 70 Georgia 0.
Odds (Paddy Powers): Handicap betting (= Georgia +50 pts) 10/11 Ireland, 16/1 Draw, 10/11 Georgia.
REPLACEMENTS: Ireland - F Sheahan (Munster/Cork Constitution), P Wallace (Leinster/Blackrock College), L Cullen (Leinster/Blackrock College), Alan Quinlan (Munster/Shannon), G Easterby (Llanelli), D Humphreys (Ulster/Dungannon), R Henderson (Munster/Young Munster).
Georgia - M Mtiulishvile (Beziers), T Ratianidze (Beziers, Fra), Z Mtchedlishvili (Domon, Fra),
I Quandishvili (University, Georgia), E Iovadze (Agde, Fra), O BarkalV Katsadzeaia (Lelo, Geo).
REFEREE: N Williams (Wales).
