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The atmosphere in Madrid was at fever pitch. The sun was beaming down on a damp surface. Everything was aligned for a true spectacle of rugby in the Spanish Capital. There were Welsh fans walking round scouting out their future opposition. Both teams turned up looking to secure top spot in the group and home advantage for the semi finals.
Ariceta (9'), Foulds (49'), Cian (66'), Boronat (73')
Tries
Spanderashvili (4'), Lobzhanidze (14'), Tabutsadze (17', 44'), Karkadze (25'), Japaridze (34'), Niniashvili (39', 58', 61'), Kvatadze (71')
Vinuesa (10'), Mateu (50', 74')
Conversions
Niniashvili (26', 35'), Papunashvili (45', 59', 62', 72')
Vinuesa (21', 24')
Penalties
The atmosphere in Madrid was at fever pitch. The sun was beaming down on a damp surface. Everything was aligned for a true spectacle of rugby in the Spanish Capital. There were Welsh fans walking round scouting out their future opposition. Both teams turned up looking to secure top spot in the group and home advantage for the semi finals.
After a few phases of testing rugby to see where the gaps may come, Georgia managed to get themselves on the 5m Spanish line for them to test their first formidable lineout maul. Spain managed to stop the maul effectively but the paitent rugby from Georgia when close to the whitewash was clear to see. When Ilia Spanderashvili was able to flop over from a metre out, Davit Niniashvili was unable to find the extras when he pushed the conversion wide. We were 4 minutes in and Georgia already had their first try. The Spanish crowd raised to the challenge and turned up the volume.
Only 5 minutes later, Spain returned the favour with their own line out maul attempt. A sustained pick and go pressure phase from Spain when camped on the Georgian try line. Finally paid off with Manex Ariceta driving over, the Madrid crowd erupted! Gonzalo Vinuesa obliged with the extras and after 10 minutes, Spain were 7 - 5 ahead against the reigning champions. Could they begin to dream?
The game had a few errors creep in, while both sides tried to find the spaces.
Spain had a couple of warnings from Georgia for switching off in defence at the breakdown. Giorgi Kveseladze took his chance to run down the blindside into acres of space, a easy pass inside to Vaso Lobzhanidze put Georgia 7 -10 ahead after 14 minutes. Niniashvili continued to struggle finding his range from the tee with the extras.
After the restart, an offside penlty from Spain, gave Georgia the chance to settle themselves in the Spain half. A lineout worked back into the middle of the park, allowed Georgia to reverse the play and find Akaki Tabutsadze on the wing. With work to do, he stepped on the after burners and went round the outside and dived down to add to his ever increasing international try tally. Niniahvili couldn't find the target this time again. Georgia lead 7 - 15 after 18 minutes. Will they now pull away from the Spanish dream of an upset?
Spain continued to attack, which put pressure on the Georgian defence. Giving Spain 2 penalty kicks, one on the 21st and then second on the 24th minute. The Georgian lead was reduced to 13-15, was the dream back?
A easy breakdown penalty from the restart, gave Georgia the chance to nudge to the 5m line to set up another Lineout maul charge. Spain couldnt stop Vano Karkadze rolling round the side of the maul and dive over his try. Niniashvili found his kicking boots to put Georgia 13 - 22 ahead after 26 minutes.
A try from Luka Japaridze after a Georgian scrum inside the Spanish 22. The try started a mass brawl, where the officials could have taken their picks on yellow cards. Giorgi Kveseladze and Kerman Aurrekoetxea Alergia were given 10 minutes in the bin for their efforts. Niniashvili added the extras after dust had settled. 13 - 29 for Georgia after 35 minutes, were they now putting daylight between themselves and Los Leones?
Just before the break, Davit Niniashvili was able to get over the whitewash himself. After Vaso Lobzhanidze broke through and a easy pass back inside for the on running Niniashvili to dive over.
Another kerfuffle ensued between the teams. Gonzalo Vinuesa and Mikheil Babunashvili got carded for their involvement. Both teams down to 13 players, Niniashvili couldnt add the extras as the half time whistle went.
The home crowd raised the hostilities with whistling and jeering of the Georgian players as they walked down the tunnel.
Spain started the second half with both half backs in the sin bin. Within 4 minutes though, Georgia managed to extend the lead through another Akaki Tabutsadze try after a mazy run from half way. Akaki danced his way to a splash dive try in the corner. Dachi Papunashvili took over the kicking duties and made good of the extras. 13-39 to Georgia now.
Spain managed to camp themselves in the Georgian 22 for a period, with a couple of 5 metre lineout attempts. The pressure finally told, and Matt Foulds dived over from a metre out. Inaki Mateu added the easy conversion. 20 -41 for Georgia now. The benches were emptied for the first time of the afternoon with both sides.
On the 53rd minute, a deliberate knock on whilst already having been yellow carded, found Giorgi Kveseladze off for a early bath.
Will poor discipline and petulant attitude from the Georgian cause their downfall?
Only a few minutes later, Santiago Ovejero handed back the player advantage, by getting a yellow card for a high tackle.
Davit Niniashvili was gifted the chance to ghost round the blindside of the driving maul and dot down nearly untouched. Papunashvili made good with the kick again. 59 minutes gone, and 20 - 48 to Georgia.
Davit Niniashvili completed his hat trick after dancing through the Spanish defence and got through gaps that weren't even there. Are we sure he is even human at times? Papunashvili had a easy nudge over. 20 - 55 Georgia now, the lead is too far to reach for Spain now surely?
Spain weren't going away quietly though Martiano Cian added a try on the 66th minute, when Spain managed to exploit space down the outside after a cross field kick found the Spanish back line able to passe round the defence. Conversion was unsuccessful.
Georgia added another yellow to the mix with Luka Ivanishvili for a no arms tackle in front of the referee.
Georgia weren't concerned with being down to 13 men again, they finished their scoring for the afternoon with Irakli Kvatadze. Kvatadze managed to wheel off the back of the lineout maul, creating his own space on his charge to the line. Papunashvili had another easier kick to take the score to 25 - 62.
Spain managed to respond with a lineout maul from the restart, where the maul opened up and allowed Vincente Boronat charge through like Moses parting the red sea.
Inaki Mateu ended the scoring with the conversion, 32- 62 to Georgia. The last 5 minutes had no impact on the scoreline but was open and wild like the rest of the game.
Having spoken with Richard Cockerill after the game, he was not happy with the lack of control by his charges. But they now go away to prepare for Romania at home.
Spain now get ready to travel to Portugal for their attempt to get to a 1st place play off final.
| # | Team | PL | W | L | D | PD | BP | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Georgia | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 173 | 3 | 15 |
| 2 |  Spain | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 29 | 2 | 10 |
| 3 |  Netherlands | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 1 | 05 |
| 4 |  Switzerland | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | -213 | 0 | 00 |
