Rugby World Cup: Haig targets Namibia rather than All Blacks

Reporter·NZ Herald·

30 Sep, 2015 05:27 PM2 mins to read

Gregor Paul and Patrick McKendry are in Cardiff with the All Blacks and give their opinion and analysis on the AB's changes for the Georgia Rugby World Cup match. Sonny Bill Williams, Charlie Faumuina and Wyatt Crockett all find themselves in a starting XV that remains - everywhere else - absolutely the top side. Their form has been impressive in the first two games while the men they respectively replace - Ma'a Nonu, Owen Franks and Tony Woodcock - have either been quiet or a little bit off where they were expected to be.

The good news for anyone who is a fan of Mamuka Gorgodze's no-nonsense style is that the Georgia skipper is playing against the All Blacks on Saturday morning.

The bad news for some of his teammates is that Kiwi coach Milton Haig has decided to rest them for the all-important match against Namibia in Exeter five days after the All Blacks match in Cardiff.

The disappointed should have been forewarned, however, as Haig said this was always the plan.

"We've been pretty vocal about what our ultimate goal is at this tournament," Haig, a former coach of Counties-Manukau who has been with Georgia for four years, said today.

"We've got five days after the All Blacks game before we play Namibia which is very important to achieve our goal of qualifying for 2019, so it's a necessary evil that our focus is on the Namibia game."

"We don't think there's a heck of a lot of difference between the guys that we stuck out against Tonga or Argentina and New Zealand. We've worked pretty hard in the last four years to make sure we've created depth and competition for positions."

With 655 caps, Georgia's squad is the most experienced ever for a test.

The senior players missing the chance to play the All Blacks include the veteran trio of Merab Kvirikashvili, Giorgi Nemsadze and Davit Zirakashvili, but Gorgodze, a Toulon player who will wear the No7 jersey, has got the nod.

"Some of the senior guys knew they wouldn't get on for this match. There's a few disappointed guys obviously, but we said three or four months ago that we all have a common goal and everybody agreed to this," Haig said. "They don't like it obviously, but it goes with the territory."

Georgia team to play the All Blacks at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday, kick-off 8am NZT is
15. Beka Tsiklauri
14. Giorgi Aptsiauri
13. David Kacharava
12. Tamaz Mchedlidze
11. Alexandr Todua
10. Lasha Malaguradze
9. Giorgi Begadze
8. Lasha Lomidze
7. Mamuka Gorgodze (c)
6. Shalva Sutiashvili
5. Giorgi Chkhaidze
4. Levan Datunashvili
3. Levan Chilachava
2. Shalva Mamukashvili
1. Karlen Asieshvili

Reserves: Simon Maisuradze, Mikheil Nariashvili, Anton Peikrishvili, Konstantine Mikautadze, Viktor Kolelishvili, Vasil Lobzhanidze, Merab Sharikadze, Murazi Giorgadze.

By Patrick McKendry in Cardiff