Georgia make changes for historic New Zealand game

CARDIFF (Reuters) - Georgia coach Milton Haig is resting a number of players for the World Cup Pool C match against New Zealand in Cardiff on Friday with an eye on their final group game against Namibia.

Georgia make changes for historic New Zealand game

(Reuters)





Haig will have only five days to prepare for the Namibia clash and is taking no risks, given that Georgia still have an outside chance of reaching the quarter-finals for the first time and a stronger shot at finishing third in their pool to earn automatic qualification for the 2019 tournament.

"We are looking for a bit of energy to face the All Blacks and it is right to make some changes," Haig told reporters on Wednesday.

The players left out of Georgia's first ever game against New Zealand were naturally disappointed.

"It is tough telling players they are not facing New Zealand, but they have bought in to our long-term goals and understand where we are trying to get to," Haig said.

Georgia lie fourth in Pool C, behind New Zealand, Tonga and Argentina.





Team: 1-Karlen Asieshvili, 2-Shalva Mamukashvili, 3-Levan Chilachava, 4-Levan Datunashvili, 5-Giorgi Chkhaidze,

6-Shalva Sutiashvili, 7 Mamuka Gorgodze (captain), 8-Lasha Lomidze; 9-Giorgi Begadze, 10-Lasha Malaguradze, 11-Alexander Todua, 12-Tamaz Mchedlidze, 13-Davit Kacharava, 14-Giorgi Aptsiauri, 15-Beka Tsiklauri

Replacements: 16-Simon Maisuradze, 17-Mikheil Nariashvili,

18-Anton Peikrishvili, 19-Konstantine Mikautadze, 20-Viktor Kolelishvili, 21-Vasil Lobzhanidze, 22-Merab Sharikadze, 23-Murazi Giorgadze





(Editing by David Goodman)


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