South Africa vs Georgia First Test

[unrated]

Excuse the fonts.

The first Test takes place at Loftus Versfeld on Friday night; build-up starts at 5.30pm

on Sky Sports Action for UK viewers,

Game starts 19:00 in South African Local Time on Friday 2 July (SA time is GMT +2)

Georgia Lineup.

Backs: 15. David Niniashvili (6 caps, 20 points), 14. Akaki Tabutsadze (12 caps, 55 points), 13. Giorgi Kveseladze (34 caps, 25 points), 12. Merab Sharikadze (კაპ. 77 caps, 60 points), 11. Demur Tapladze (9 caps, 5 points), 10. Tedo Abzhandadze (25 caps, 162 points), 9. Vasil Lobzhanidze (58 caps, 50 points);

Forwards: 1. Guram Gogichashvili (22 caps, 10 points), 2. Jaba Bregvadze (66 caps, 25 points), 3. Giorgi Melikidze (28 caps, 15 points), 4. David Gigauri (11 caps, 5 points), 5. Kote Mikautadze (67 caps, 10 points), 6. Giorgi Tsutskiridze (21 caps, 15 points), 7. Beka Saginadze (21 caps, 15 points), 8. Tornike Jalagonia (9 caps, 10 points);

Substitutes: 16. Giorgi Chkoidze (16 caps, 5 points), 17. Nikoloz Khatiashvili (5 caps), 18. Luka Japaridze (uncapped), 19. Nodar Cheishvili (31 caps), 20. Giorgi Javakhia (6 caps, 5 points); 21. Gela Aprasidze (34 caps, 24 points), 22. Giorgi Babunashvili (3 caps, 9 points); 23. Ilia Spanderashvili (1 caps).


Springbok squad:

15. Willie le Roux (Toyota Verblitz) – 61 caps, 60 pts (12 t)

14. Rosko Specman (Toyota Cheetahs) – uncapped

13. Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles) – 46 caps, 60 pts (12t)

12. Frans Steyn (Toyota Cheetahs) – 67 caps, 141 pts (11t, 7c, 21p, 3d)

11. Aphelele Fassi (Cell C Sharks) – uncapped

10. Handré Pollard (vice-captain, Montpellier) – 48 caps, 457 pts (6t, 74c, 89p, 4d)

9. Cobus Reinach (Montpellier) – 14 caps, 30 pts (6t)

8. Kwagga Smith (Yamaha Júbilo) – 6 caps, 0 pts

7. Pieter-Steph du Toit (DHL Stormers) – 55 caps, 25 pts (5t)

6. Siya Kolisi (captain, Cell C Sharks) – 50 caps, 30 pts (6t)

5. Franco Mostert (Honda Heat) – 39 caps, 5 pts (1t)

4. Eben Etzebeth (Toulon) – 85 caps, 15 pts (3t)

3. Trevor Nyakane (Vodacom Bulls) – 42 caps, 5 pts (1t)

2. Bongi Mbonambi (DHL Stormers) – 36 caps, 35 pts (7t)

1. Ox Nché (Cell C Sharks) – 1 cap, 0 pts

Replacements

1. Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 33 caps, 25 pts (5t)
2. Steven Kitshoff (DHL Stormers – 47 caps, 5 pts (1t)
3. Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers – 38 caps, 5 pts (1t)
4. Marvin Orie (DHL Stormers) – 3 caps, 0 pts
5. Jasper Wiese (Leicester Tigers) – uncapped
6. Herschel Jantjies (DHL Stormers) – 10 caps, 20 pts (4t)
7. Elton Jantjies (Pau) – 37 caps, 281 pts (2t, 62c, 49p)
8. Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers) – 6 caps, 5 pts (1t)

 

[Which Tyler]

 

[saulan]

Not loving these new tracksuit tips, feels very 90s in terms of writing on the back.

Been hyped for this game all week. We are finally back!

 

[Ferrari333SP]

Those Georgia front row lads are giants

 

[Ferrari333SP]

Epic mustache from their kicker too

 

[Ferrari333SP]

Georgian scrum looking the stronger of the two sides slightly at the moment

 

[saulan]

Boks looking incredibly rusty.

 

[Ferrari333SP]

Yeah are the Boks just really rusty, or have Georgia improved somewhat

 

[Nudger]

Loving it

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Urge to change name to Tigsshvili

 

[saulan]

I do think we have our second best props on. Malherbe comes in and boom, scrum penalty on their put in.

 

[Ferrari333SP]

Boks scrum looking better

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

TBF these Georgians forwards are all playing in Europe so shouldn't be terrible.

 

[saulan]

Wow, super well played there from Fassi, poor pass to him, juggled it and quickly gets that chip in for the try.

 

[saulan]

Interesting half, Fassi has been good on the wing, Steyn has been average in the centre for me, not really doing much in terms of crash ball.

Line outs have been good, while Georgia have played well on their scrums with similar tactics to the Japan scrum in 2015. Definitely has been some rust in backline cohesion, with players just trying things that are not on. PSDT has also had a great game so far, while I've also been impressed with Willie's linkage play.

I do think the score is flattering us, but I also expect the Georgians to fall off a little bit with the altitude from the 60 minute mark.

 

[Ferrari333SP]

Not the best showing from the Boks so far, but these two Georgia games will be invaluable training for the test matches themselves

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Boks number 18 has just been pure scranning through lockdown

Not seen a tier 1 international player so fat since Marty Moore

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Boks number 18 has just been pure scranning through lockdown

Not seen a tier 1 international player so fat since Marty Moore

He's Farty Poor these days.

 

[saulan]

Boks number 18 has just been pure scranning through lockdown

Not seen a tier 1 international player so fat since Marty Moore

Malherbe is a national treasure, both in the scrum, as well as at a pie eating contest.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Go on Jasper