Introduction: The meeting between Portugal and Georgia during the 2023 Rugby World Cup was full of twists and turns. The Portuguese who were hoping to secure their first victory in this competition were joined by the Georgians at the last minute, resulting in a disappointing draw. In this article, we will look back at the key moments of this meeting and we will analyze the performances of the two teams.
The scenario of the match: From the start of the match, the Georgians took the upper hand, thanks in particular to their dominating pack in conquest and the impactful actions of their fullback David Niniashvili. They managed to take the lead and maintained a comfortable lead until the hour mark, leading 13-0.
However, the Portuguese did not give up and showed great determination. They managed to accelerate in the second half and scored two tries, notably thanks to winger Raffaele Storti, allowing them to take the lead with a score of 18-13 at the hour mark.
The Portuguese then seemed to be in control of the match and heading towards a historic victory. However, in the last minute, the Georgians managed to score a strong try thanks to their pack, bringing the two teams level.
The final blow for the Portuguese came in the last action of the match. A penalty taken just before the siren could have given the Portuguese victory, but fullback Nuno Sousa Guedes’ kick went wide to the left of the Georgian posts, sealing the match result in an 18-18 draw.
Team performances: Portugal showed great promise throughout the match. The players showed great combativeness and knew how to react against the Georgian team. The tries scored by Raffaele Storti demonstrate the quality of the Portuguese’s offensive play. However, defensive errors and a certain excitement at the end of the match allowed the Georgians to get back into the game.
On the Georgian side, we will remember the power of their pack and the good performance of fullback David Niniashvili. They were able to remain solid despite the lead taken by the Portuguese in the second half and managed to equalize in the last minute thanks to their collective play.
Conclusion: This draw between Portugal and Georgia during the 2023 Rugby World Cup was rich in intensity and suspense. The Portuguese showed that they can compete with more experienced teams and confirmed their progress in this competition. Despite the disappointment of not having won their first victory, the Portuguese can be proud of their performance. The Georgians, for their part, remained solid and managed to come back into the match at the last minute. This meeting once again demonstrated all the uncertainty and magic of sport.