Rugby World Cup: Georgia seal first win

Mamuka Gorgodze of Georgia is wrapped up by the Romania defence. Photo / Getty Images

Georgia 25
Romania 9

Never mind the result and don't worry about the score because it was rugby that picked up the win when Georgia met Romania in Palmerston North tonight.

A near sell-out crowd for a game between sides ranked 14th and 18th in the world respectively was never going to be a major drawcard on the calender, but the people of Manawatu embraced the occasion.

Sure, there were travelling fans and immigrant Georgians and Romanians in the crowd, but the local punters picked their side and dressed up accordingly.

Even eight street signs in Palmerston North took on a change - major thoroughfare Fitzherbert Avenue was given a temporary posting as "Fitzlyvania Street"; a cheeky play on the Romanian region Transylvania.

When Tana Umaga and Helen Clark secured the Rugby World Cup to come to these shores in 2005 they said New Zealand would represent a stadium of four million people and this game exemplified that.

With every half break, missed tackle or chance gone begging the crowd cheered along and appeared to make the most of the experience of being part of a tournament that may never come here again.

World Cup fever has swept the country since the tournament opened nearly three weeks ago and Palmerston North was the last hosting venue to get their first taste of it, which added to the anticipation.

For the record Georgia won 25-9, and will likely claim fourth place in Pool B, which also featured Argentina, England and Scotland.

The match was Romania's last game and marked the end of their World Cup, while Georgia plays the Pumas of Argentina at the same venue on Sunday.

The first half was a forward-dominated arm wrestle as both sides tried to gain the upper hand.

Georgia showed a bit more intent to move the ball during the opening spell, but they failed to click into gear.

The boot of Georgian first-five Merab Kvirikashvili edged his team in front as the left-footed 27-year-old took advantage of

Romania's continual infringing.

Things didn't open up during the first part of the second spell either as both sides showed their desperation to register a rare World Cup victory.

Georgian openside flanker Mamuka Gorgodze finally broke the try-scoring drought in the 56th minute when he crashed over the line from close range and Kvirikashvili's conversion gave them an advantage that would prove too big for Romania to overhaul.

The pivot added another penalty and finished his night with five goals from seven attempts, while his Romanian opposite Marin Danut Dumbrava scored all of his team's points with three penalties.

Both coaches cleared their decks as the game wore on and the reserves were given a gallop as the Mexican Wave roared into life during the latter stages of the fixture.

Veteran Romanian hooker Marius Tincu earned his 50th cap during the game, as did Florin Adrian Vlaicu when he came off the bench in the second half, becoming the third man from his country to achieve the milestone.

Georgia 25 (Mamuka Gorgodze try; Merab Kvirikashvili 5 pens, con, Malkhaz Urjukashvili pen) Romania 9 (Marin Danut Dumbrava 3 pens) HT: 12-6