Fourth-ranked Wales will face twelfth ranked Georgia at 19:15 local (6:15 ET) at City of Toyota Stadium, Aichi Prefecture, at Toyota City on 23 September. The Pool D match may be viewed in the U.S. on NBC Sports Gold live or on-demand as part of an RWC subscription package.
Wales coach Warren Gatland his leading Wales into a Rugby World Cup for the third and final time. Wales was ranked no.1 in the world for the first time for a couple of weeks in August and are among the tournament favorites.
Stephen Jones, Wales new attack coach, has begun working with the players, having replaced Rob Howley, who is facing an investigation into an alleged breach of World Rugby rules.
Wales’s starting line-up against Georgia has an average age of 28 years, 331 days. They are a very experienced side and will be up for the challenge of facing the Georgia strong scrummaging side.
Georgian players have flocked to the tourist town of Brive-la-Gaillarde, as CA Brive was recently promoted to the Top 14 for the 2019-20 season and includes eight Georgian players. Four are on the squad at the Rugby World Cup. The players include Georgian World Cup debutant Otari Giorgadze, two-time World Cup player Vasil Lobzhanidze, with Vano Karkadze and Tedo Abzhandadze joining the team.
Loosehead prop Mikheil Nariashvili will captain the side and will be joined by Shalva Mamukashvili and Beka Gigashvili in the front-row. Flanker Mamuka Gorgodze, who is playing in his 4th RWC, along with center Davit Kacharava will provide leadership, and No 8 Beka Gorgadze will be a player to watch.
Squads
Wales: 1 Wyn Jones 2 Ken Owens 3 Tom Frances 4 Jake Ball 5 Alun Wyn Jones 6 Aaron Wainwright 7 Justin Tipuric 8 Josh Navidi 9 Gareth Davies 10 Dan Biggar 11 Josh adams12 Hadleigh Parkes 13 Jonathan Davies 14 George North 15 Liam Williams 16 Elliot Dee 17 Nicky Smith 18 Dillon Lewis 19 Aaron Shingler 20 Ross Moriarty 21 Tomos Williams 22 Rhys Patchell 23 Leigh Halfpenny
Georgia: 1 Mikheil Nariashvili 2 Shalva Mamukashvili 3 Beka Gigashvili 4 Giorgi Mikautadze 5 Konstantine Mikautadze 6 Giorgi Tkhilaishvili 7 Mamuka Gorgodze 8 Beka Gorgadze 9 Vasil Lobzhanidze 10 Tedo Abzhandadze 11 Giorgi Kveseladze 12 Tamaz Mchedlidze 13 Davit Kacharava 14 Mirani Modebadze 15 Soso Matiashvili 16 Jaba Bregvadze 17 Guram Gogichashvili 18 Levan Chilachava 19 Shalva Sutiashvili 20 Beka Saginadze 21 Otari Giorgadze 22 Gela Aprasidze 23 Lasha Khmaladze
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