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Tommy O'Brien crossed for two early tries. Ben Brady/INPHO

Tommy O'Brien scores twice on debut as Ireland record scrappy win in Georgia

Six players won their first Test caps for Ireland in Tbilisi.

Georgia 5

Ireland 34

A NEW-LOOK Ireland team recorded a four-try, 29-point win over Georgia but there was plenty of frustration across an often scrappy affair in Tbilisi.

Leinster’s Tommy O’Brien scored two tries on his Ireland debut, with Connacht lock Darragh Murray also winning his first cap in the starting XV. In the second half, Michael Milne, Jack Aungier, Tom Ahern and Ben Murphy all came in to take the total number of new caps to six.

O’Brien’s two tries arrived in the opening seven minutes, with scrum-half Craig Casey scoring the third in the opening minute of the second half. Paul O’Connell’s side added a fourth through Ulster’s Nick Timoney, but overall will be disappointed with some of their attacking play, which lacked accuracy and fluency.

Playing conditions were difficult at the 27,000-capacity Mikheil Meskhi Stadium, with heavy rain a factor in some of Ireland’s handling errors. Ireland also had struggles at the scrum as Georgia got the upper hand in the first half.

michael-milne-and-tom-ahern Ireland's Michael Milne and Tom Ahern. Ben Brady / INPHO Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO

Sam Prendergast added 14 points off the boot, Casey enjoyed some fine moments on his first outing as Ireland captain, while Ryan Baird carried his strong end of season form into the Test series with a commanding display.

Ireland enjoyed a dream start, O’Brien bagging his first Test try just 95 seconds into his debut. Through a series of good, hard carries, with Jamie Osborne centrally involved, Ireland pushed up the pitch before Prendergast chipped over the top for his Leinster teammate to collect and score, with the out-half then tapping over a straight-forward conversion.

O’Brien was celebrating his second try just six minutes later. At the game’s first scrum, Ireland’s all-Leinster front row of Jack Boyle, Gus McCarthy and Thomas Clarkson held firm as the visitors won a penalty. Playing with advantage, Prendergast swung a sharp pass wide to O’Brien, who darted over. Prendergast stepped up and made it two from two off the tee.

Georgia began to grow into the game and came close to a try approaching the 15-minute mark. Richard Cockerill’s men stretched Ireland with short, sharp passing before a lovely step and pass from La Rochelle-bound fullback Davit Niniashvili opened some space. Aka Tabutsadze took on Osborne, who made a good tackle effort as the winger tried to twist over the line, dropping the ball in the process. A TMO check confirmed no try.

With the rain pelting down the error count began to rise. Boyle conceded a scrum penalty and as Georgia celebrated, hooker Vano Karkadze clashed with Cormac Izuchukwu. Karkadze received a warning for his troubles and the penalty was reversed, allowing Prendergast kick to the corner.

jack-boyle-and-ryan-baird-at-the-scrum Ireland's Jack Boyle and Ryan Baird at the scrum. Ben Brady / INPHO Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO

Baird rose to win the lineout and Ireland mauled, but Georgia dug in to win the ball back through Giorgi Akhaladze.

Ireland continued to attack and Prendergast came close to adding a third try. After Ireland turned the ball over at the scrum they moved the ball left to right. Jimmy O’Brien stepped a defender but his pass dropped short. Tommy O’Brien reacted well to flick the ball to Prendergast, who had the corner in his sights. The out-half dove for the corner and got the ball down, but a TMO review confirmed his foot was in touch.

The game grew increasingly scrappy as Ireland began to have real problems against a powerful Georgia scrum, conceding another penalty at the setpiece which came shortly after McCarthy was pinged for a crooked throw at the lineout. 

Minutes later the packs scrummed down again but Ireland engaged too early, the outcome penalty Georgia.

Towards the end of the half O’Connell was forced to make an early change, Ulster winger Jacob Stockdale, who had looked sharp in possession, leaving the action with an arm/shoulder injury as Calvin Nash came on.

Ireland’s problems piled up with a dominant Georgia scrum getting another big shove to win a penalty, without taking advantage in the Ireland half.

A trip to the Georgia 22 brought more sloppy play. From a lineout Ireland attacked but looked slow and one-dimensional, with Georgia turning the ball over after Stuart McCloskey carried into contact.

darragh-murray-tackled-by-vano-karkadze Ireland's Darragh Murray tackled by Georgia's Vano Karkadze. Ben Brady / INPHO Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO

Georgia finally got on the scoreboard with the final play of the half. The home side won a penalty and went for the corner through a good kick from out-half Luka Matkava. Flanker Beka Saginadze claimed the lineout throw at the tail and Georgia mauled, winning a penalty courtesy of Baird. This time Georgia threw to the middle and smartly popped the ball back to the front, allowing number eight Tornike Jalagonia rumble over through Gavin Coombes.

The hosts couldn’t convert but had cut Ireland’s lead to nine points at the break. It would be their only score of the game.

Ireland made another quick start to the second half, scoring a blistering try after the restart.

After Georgia couldn’t reclaim possession from a kick, Coombes came away with possession and passed wide to his Munster teammate Calvin Nash. Nash broke with pace down the wing and played the ball inside to Baird, who added ground and was patient under pressure before offloading to Casey, the scrum-half running through unchallenged. Prendergast converted and Ireland looked in full control again.

Prendergast followed with a penalty, Ireland clocking up 10 points in the opening five minutes of the second half.

craig-casey-celebrates-after-scoring-his-sides-third-try-with-tom-ahern-and-jack-crowley Craig Casey celebrates his try. Ben Brady / INPHO Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO

Georgia tried to find a way back as Karkadze burst through a maul, but he lost the ball forward under great pressure from Coombes. 

With both sides struggling to piece any meaningful passages of play together, around the hour mark a penalty allowed Prendergast go for the posts to extend Ireland’s lead.

Ireland’s fourth try arrived in the 70th minute, Timoney registering his fourth try across four caps. After Ireland moved the ball across the Georgia defence without breaking through, despite excellent play from the two O’Briens, Prendergast kicked wide to Timoney, who impressively muscled between two defenders and got the ball down. Prendergast again nailed the conversion, the kick his last action of the night as Jack Crowley came in for the final 10 minutes.

In the closing minutes McCloskey was yellow-carded for not retreating, but Georgia’s final attack was quashed through a big turnover from Max Deegan.

Ireland’s summer tour continues against Portugal in Lisbon next Saturday, where O’Connell will hope to see a more cohesive team performance.

Georgia scorers:

Try – Jalagonia

Conversion – Matkava [0/1] 

Ireland scorers:

Tries – O’Brien [2], Casey, Timoney

Penalties – Prendergast [2/2]

Conversions – Prendergast [4/4]

GEORGIA: Davit Niniashvili; Aka Tabutsadze, Demur Tapladze (Tornike Kakhoidze, 61), Giorgi Kveseladze, Sandro Todua; Luka Matkava, Vasil Lobzhanidze; Giorgi Akhaladze (Giorgi Tetrashvili, 54), Vano Karkadze (Irakli Kvatadze, 54), Irakli Aptsiauri (Beka Gigashvili, 54); Mikheil Babunashvili, Lado Chachanidze; Luka Ivanishvili (Guram Ganiashvil, 78), Beka Saginadze, Tornike Jalagonia (Ilia Spanderashvili, 54).  

IRELAND: Jimmy O’Brien; Tommy O’Brien, Jamie Osborne, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale (Calvin Nash, 37); Sam Prendergast, Craig Casey; Jack Boyle (Michael Milne, 59), Gus McCarthy (Tom Stewart, 59), Thomas Clarkson (Jack Aungier, 69); Cormac Izuchukwu, Darragh Murray; Ryan Baird, Nick Timoney, Gavin Coombes (Max Deegan, 65). 

Yellow card: McCloskey, 77.

Referee: Andrea Piardi.

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