Wales 12-13 Georgia: Visitors stun hosts with historic victory

Jac Morgan scored doubly for Wales, but was denied a hat-trick by a sound on

Georgia produced the finest time of their past with a daze triumph implicit woeful Wales successful Cardiff.

Wayne Pivac's broadside had built up a 12-3 pb acknowledgment to 2 tries from Jac Morgan.

But Georgia responded successful the 2nd fractional with an Alexander Todua effort and the footwear of Matkava to make past and spark chaotic celebrations.

The defeat, successful a twelvemonth wherever Wales person besides mislaid astatine location to Italy, volition bring Pivac's presumption nether aggravated scrutiny, little than a twelvemonth earlier the World Cup successful France.

Georgia had defeated Italy successful the summertime astatine home, but this effect volition further fortify their credentials of being introduced successful the Six Nations.

For Pivac's side, it is hard to spot wherever they spell from here. Wales decorativeness the Autumn Nations run against Australia adjacent Saturday pursuing a show against Georgia that fell good abbreviated of what should beryllium expected from this planetary side.

A 55-23 hammering handed retired by the All Blacks successful the opening lucifer was followed by a gritty 20-13 triumph implicit Argentina that was built connected determined defence.

That brought anticipation of a much coherent Pivac outfit, but this inept show dispelled that theory.

A wasteful Wales attacking portion was again nether the microscope arsenic they could not interruption down the Georgian defence consistently.

The hosts failed to people aft 24 minutes and were deservedly defeated by a amended squad who dominated a Wales squad that appeared to deficiency tendency and structure.

Wales person suffered immoderate humbling humanities location defeats including losses to Romania successful 1988, Western Samoa successful 1991, Canada successful 1993 and Italy earlier this year. This effect rivals those past losses.

It was a archetypal triumph for Georgia successful 4 attempts against Wales and a triumph 11 months earlier the World Cup brushwood betwixt the 2 sides successful Nantes.

Consistency successful selection

Georgia's past 2 visits to Wales saw them proved dogged opponents arsenic the location broadside prevailed 13-6 successful 2017 and 18-0 2 years ago.

Pivac made less changes than usually associated with this fixture with six alterations to the broadside that defeated Argentina, 2 of those wounded enforced pursuing the nonaccomplishment of Will Rowlands and Dan Lydiate.

Wing Josh Adams returned from wounded with fly-half Rhys Priestland and centre Owen Watkin starting portion Ben Carter, Morgan and the uncapped Josh Macleod were included successful the pack.

Macleod, usually a flanker made his Test debut astatine fig eight, to yet summation his archetypal headdress aft a agelong wait.

The 26-year-old had being picked to commencement against Scotland successful the 2021 Six Nations, lone to rupture his Achilles tendon successful grooming a fewer hours later.

Wales, who were wearing achromatic armbands to people the decease of erstwhile manager John Ryan made a mediocre commencement from the Georgia kick-off and conceded an aboriginal punishment with Tedo Abzhandadze slotting implicit the kick.

The hosts replied from a well-worked grooming crushed determination involving locks Adam Beard and Carter earlier Morgan stepped his mode implicit unopposed for a archetypal planetary try. Priestland converted from the touchline.

Morgan again popped up connected the right-hand touchline for a 2nd people aft benefiting from incisive build-up enactment from North, Cuthbert and Tomos Williams.

Cardiff scrum-half Williams was astir progressive successful a superb 3rd effort for Wales with his basketball-style overhead walk uncovering Adams who chipped up and sprinted distant

His effort was successful vain, though, arsenic Williams' walk was adjudged to person been guardant by the tv lucifer authoritative Brandon Pickerill.

Wales led 12-3 astatine half-time and would person been frustrated they were not further ahead.

Some opportunities were spurned with wasteful kicks and determination was a reliance connected a formulaic attacking approach.

Wasteful Wales continued to beryllium unconvincing successful the attacking 3rd and helping Cuthbert was shown a yellowish paper for an aerial situation connected Todua portion chasing a precocious ball.

The Cardiff assemblage of 63,585 gave their verdict connected the amusement worth connected amusement arsenic they produced their ain Mexican wave.

Macleod was replaced by Taulupe Faletau who was playing his 99th planetary for Wales and the British and Irish Lions.

Faletau was soon followed onto the tract by Exeter fastener Dafydd Jenkins arsenic the 19-year-old fastener won his archetypal cap.

Georgia took vantage of their numerical vantage of Cuthbert's lack from a well-worked effort for helping Todua who took a clever footwear from Abzhandadze, who besides converted to trim the shortage to 2 points.

When Cuthbert returned, Wales besides took disconnected Adams and brought connected full-back Leigh Halfpenny, backmost for his archetypal planetary for 16 months due to the fact that of a superior genu injury.

Georgia were rampant and dominating the aerial conflict with Abzhandadze missing a punishment accidental to springiness Georgia the lead.

Morgan momentarily thought helium had scored a hat-trick, but Faletau knocked the shot connected successful the build-up.

The Georgia scrum started to predominate and forced the last punishment which Matkava slotted over.

It near the visitors to observe what they undeniably deserved and Pivac to ponder what his aboriginal mightiness be.

But to Georgia spell the plaudits. And rightfully so.

Wales: Rees-Zammit; Cuthbert, North, Watkin, Adams; Priestland, T Williams; G Thomas, Owens, D Lewis, Carter, Beard, J Morgan, Tipuric (capt), J Macleod.

Replacements: B Roberts, R Jones, S Wainwright, D Jenkins, Faletau, Blacker, Costelow, Halfpenny.

Georgia: Niniashvili; Modebadze, Tapladze, Sharikadze (capt), Todua; Abzhandadze, Lobzhanidze; Gogichashvili, Chkoidze, Papidze, Cheishvili, Mikautadze, Gorgadze, Saghinadze, Jalagonia.

Replacements: Mamukashvili, Abuladze, Kuntelia, Chachanidze, Mamamtavrishvili, Matkava, Khmaladze, Lomidze.

Referee: Andrea Piardi (FIR)

Assistant Referees: Pierre Brousset (FFR), Gianluca Gnecchi (FIR)

TMO: Brendon Pickerill (NZR).