Samoa thump Georgia to top pool

By MITCH PHILLIPS

SAMOA 46 GEORGIA 9

PERTH - Twenty-one points from first five-eighths Earl Va'a, including one of six tries, secured Samoa a 46-9 victory over a gallant Georgia that took the Pacific islanders to the top of World Cup pool C this morning.

Samoa, who scored 10 tries in their opening 60-13 win over Uruguay, were made to work much harder for their points against a Georgian team who again showed great heart but who were let down by some ragged play and their consistent technical infringements.

Samoa, who have qualified from the pool stage in each of their three previous World Cups, will find it a stiffer challenge this year as their next two matches are against England and South Africa.

Nevertheless, they have done all that could be asked of them so far and find themselves top of the pool after two games courtesy of the extra bonus point earned for scoring four tries in both their opening games.

England, who thumped Georgia 84-6 in their opener, are second, having scored just one try in Saturday's all-important 25-6 win over the Springboks.

Twenty-four hours after the same Subiaco Oval ground was a rocking full house watching the heavyweight England v South Africa clash, it was quieter this morning but the hits were no less resounding.

Georgia enjoyed the rare pleasure of leading a World Cup match after Paliko Jimsheladze landed a fifth-minute penalty but it was a short-lived advantage.

Samoa were soon into their stride though as left winger Sailosi Tagicakibau ended a quickfire backline move to touch down in the 10th minute.

It was the forwards who earned the second in the 23rd minute, putting up a sustained bout of pressure on the Georgian line that ended with Va'a escaping to cross.

Halfback Steven So'oialo was similarly slippery from the back of a maul for the third try after 32 minutes.

Va'a, who also landed an early penalty, was successful with all three first-half conversions while Jimsheladze kept Georgia just about in touch with a second penalty and a drop goal.

Early Samoa pressure in the second half produced more spoiling tactics by the desperate Georgians and Irish referee Alain Rolland ran out of patience, showing a yellow card to replacement fullback Besik Khamashuridze, who ironically had only been on the field for three minutes.

Georgia then showed tenacious defending of the right sort to foil the Pacific islanders, who were constantly probing but had only another Va'a penalty to show for 20 minutes of territorial domination.

Just when Samoa appeared to be running out of ideas captain Semo Sititi led by example as the big number eight blasted through on a 30-metre storming run through to the line.

Still the Georgians defended heroically but as they tired the gaps opened and Dominic Feaunati and Brian Lima helped themselves to scores.

Lima, who scored two tries against Uruguay, was playing in his 14th consecutive World Cup match, equalling the record held by Australian duo David Campese and Michael Lynagh and All Black Sean Fitzpatrick.

"We are happy but we are not satisfied," said Samoa captain Sititi. We made a lot of mistakes. We are here to compete. Overall we played well and there were some good individual tries.

"We are looking forward to England, They are a tough team but the boys have the belief and faith in themselves."

Georgia remain the only one of the 20 World Cup teams without a try.

"There were too many unforced errors, maybe we needed some more practice," said Georgia captain Ilia Zedguinidze.

Samoa 46: Tries: Sailosi Tagicakibau, Earl Va'a, Steven So'oialo, Semo Sititi, Dominic Feaunati, Brian Lima; Conversions: Va'a (5); Penalties: Va'a (2)

Georgia 9: Penalties: Paliko Jimsheladze (2); Drop goal: Jimsheladze

Half time: 24-9

Teams:

Samoa - 15-Tanner Vili; 14-Ron Fanuatanu (22-Dominic Feaunati 7), 13-Terry Fanolua (21-Dale Rasmussen 53), 12-Brian Lima, 11-Sailosi Tagicakibau; 10-Earl Va'a, 9-Steven So'oialo (20-Denning Tyrell 73); 8-Semo Sititi (captain), 7-Maurie Fa'asavalu (19-Siaosi Vaili 53), 6-Peter Poulus, 5-Leo Lafaiali'i, 4-Opeta Palepoi (18-Kitiona Viliamu 64), 3-Jeremy Tomuli, 2-Jonathan Meredith (16-Mahonri Schwalger 78), 1-Kas Lealamanu'a (17-Simon Lemalu 70).

Georgia - 15-Badri Khekhelashvili (22-Besik Khamashuridze 41); 14-Malkhaz Urjukashvili, 13-Tedo Zibzibadze, 12-Irakli Giorgadze, 11-Vasil Katsadze; 10-Paliko Jimsheladze, 9-Irakli Abuseridze (20-Merab Kvirikashvili 34); 8-Ilia Zedguinidze, 7-Gregoire Yachvili, 6-Gia Labadze (19-David Bolgashvili 64) 5-Vano Nadiradze, (18-Viktor Didebulidze 56), 4-Zurab Mchedlishvili, 3-Sosso Nikolaenko, (17-Alexandre Margvelashvili 68) 2-Akvsenti Giorgadze, 1-Goderdzi Shvelidze.

Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)

- REUTERS

Full World Cup coverage