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AS IT HAPPENED

As it happened: Scotland v Georgia

Andy Robinson’s Scotland had a chance to make it two wins from two this morning. Find out how they got on against Georgia in our liveblog.

Send us your thoughts and comments on the morning’s action — or indeed on anything Rugby World Cup.

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Full Time: Scotland 15-6 Georgia

Morning all, and welcome to TheScore.ie’s minute-by-minute coverage of today’s third Rugby World Cup match. Yes, the third — where have you been all morning?

We’re just under ten minutes away from kick-off in Scotland v Georgia in Invercargill. Can Andy Robinson’s men make it two from two? They’ll certainly hope to.

Team news coming presently.

Scotland: Lamont; Evans, de Luca, Morrison, Lamont; Parks, Lawson; Jacobsen, Ford, Murray; Hines, Hamilton; Strokosch, Rennie, Brown.

Georgia: Gigauri; Machkhaneli, Kacharava, Zibzibadze, Todua; Kvirikashvili, Abuseridze; Khinchagashvili, Bregvadze, Zirakashvili; Datunashvili, Maisuradze; Sutiashvili, Gorgodze, Basilaia.

Wow, I am going to struggle with those names this morning.

As is tradition whenever I liveblog a Scotland match, I feel that I should point out just how much I love Flower of Scotland. That is all.

And we’re off. As John Lennon said in ‘War is Over,’ let’s hope it’s a good one.

The Georgian openside Gorgodze has looked handy enough in these opening minutes. Georgia have a scrum on the Scottish 22. Can they strike first?

From the scrum, Georgia pick and go to grind out five or six yards. They decide to get some early points on the board by popping the ball back to out-half Kvirikashvili in the pocket, but he fluffs his drop goal which flies harmlessly off to the left and wide.

Scotland haven’t really settled yet. Hooker Ross Ford knocks on to deprive them of the little bit of attacking momentum which they’ve built up.

A penalty brings Scotland deep inside the Georgian 22. The lineout is executed well, but the Georgian pack is more than equal to the maul, standing their ground and even managing to drive the Scots back a few yards. Eventually, Scotland try to work the ball out wide, but Parks’s pass is just a tiny bit too fast for de Luca who knocks the ball on.

I have to say, I’m very impressed with how Georgia have started. They’re putting the Scots under huge amounts of pressure and the breakdown. As I type, Scotland are penalised for not releasing the ball on the ground, giving Georgia a chance to clear their lines.

A little bit of indiscipline there costs Georgia a chance to build an attacking platform. Winger Todua is released out wide and powers his way into the Scottish 22 but they turn the ball over with an infringement at the breakdown.

PENALTY! (Kvirikashvili, 17′) Parks tries a big up-and-under to unlock the Georgian defence, but there were players in front of the kicker and Georgia have a penalty from the half-way mark. Kvirikashvili looks like he fancies he chances and I can see why — he strikes the ball perfectly and it floats over the bar. First blood to Georgia. Scotland 0-3 Georgia

MISSED PENALTY! (Parks, 19′) Oh dear, Dan Parks. Oh dear. The out-half has a chance to get Scotland back on level terms with a challenging but kickable penalty from inside the Georgian 22, out near the left touchline. He snatches at it horribly though and misses to the left by quite a bit.

PENALTY! (Parks, 23′) There’s no way that Dan Parks misses that penalty, no matter how nervous he is or how badly he’s kicking. About 12 or 13 yards out, directly in front of the posts — I’d kick it myself. Excellent work by Nick de Luca in midfield to win it in the first place. Scotland 3-3 Georgia

MISSED PENALTY! (Parks, 26′) That’s another silly penalty conceded by Georgia, this time for offside just inside their own half. Parks fancies himself to ape Kvirikashvili’s effort from earlier, but he slices it wide. One from three for the Scottish out-half.

Georgia’s number 11, Todua, looks like one of their main danger men in attack. He breaks again and pops the ball out wide to Basilaia. The number eight tries a neat little chip-and-chase but merely succeeds in hoofing the ball out on the full.

Another nice period of attacking pressure yields a penalty for Scotland. Georgia went in off their feet at the ruck. Here comes Parks…

PENALTY! (Parks, 33′) Much better from the Scottish out-half. It’s a similar position to the first one that he missed, but this time he actually catches it properly and Scotland edge back in front. Scotland 6-3 Georgia

@cardboardsg has been in touch with the following:

What do you think? The rugby hasn’t been great, but it’s certainly an intriguing battle.

DROP GOAL! (Parks, 38′) Now he’s anxious to make amends for his earlier misses — maybe he spotted Chris Paterson out getting warmed up on the line. He drops back into the pocket and, under no pressure, splits the posts with his dropper. Scotland 9-3 Georgia

HALF TIME: Scotland 9-3 Georgia

That’s our lot for now as George Clancy brings proceedings to a close.

Perfect timing. I’ve just finished my Ready Brek, and we’re back underway in Invercargill.

Beautiful positional play by Parks who dinks a kick to within about five yards of the Georgian line. Georgia take the lineout quickly though, but can’t clear out of their 22.

Brilliant break by Scotland, first from Sean Lamont who shrugs off a tackle or two before handing off to Strokosch who powers on towards the line. The big man’s hands let him down though as he knocks it on in the tackle. Opportunity wasted.

Scotland have started this second half very brightly, but they’ve nothing to show for it yet.

Georgia have temporarily lifted the Scottish siege, but they hand the ball back to Scotland as Kvirikashvili duffs a long-range drop goal attempt.

I’m looking at Gorgodze, Basilaia and Todua to get them back into it here.

Andy Robinson must have lit a fire under Parks at half time. He’s pinging the ball around like there’s no tomorrow now. A perfectly-judged kick pins Georgia back on their own line. Then, a clever chip which almost releases Max Evans behind the Georgian line. And then, a cross-field kick that almost finds Lamont on the left touchline. A great few minutes for the out-half.

Where are Georgia going to get their points from? They’re eking out the yards just past the Scottish ten-metre line, but it’s all very ponderous and one-dimensional and eventually they concede a penalty.

This could be a game-clincher for Scotland. The Georgian front row collapses on the half-way line and Parks will have a chance to stretch the Scottish lead to nine points.

MISSED PENALTY! (Parks, 63′) It’s not a bad effort from the out-half, but it always looked like it was going to drift right and wide.

Scotland are totally dominating at the moment, but for as long as Georgia remain within a converted try of them, they’re far from home and hosed.

Wonderful work from Rory Lamont who is sprung out on the left. He sidesteps a couple of tackles and carries to within seven or eight yards of the Georgian line before he is hauled into touch.

Another chance for Parks to kill the game here. Penalty about 26 or 27 yards out, slightly to the right of the posts…

PENALTY! (Parks, 70′) It’s actually a lot more central than I thought. Parks drills it between the sticks and Scotland take a big step closer to the win. Scotland 12-3 Georgia

PENALTY! (Kvirikashvili, 72′) Scotland seem intent to live the last few minutes of this one right on the edge. They concede a silly penalty directly from the restart and Kvirikashvili doesn’t need a second invitation. Scotland 12-6 Georgia

PENALTY! (Parks, 76′) Under pressure, Georgia concede another penalty and Parks — who has really played well in this second half — converts one of his more difficult opportunities of the game.

Is that bye bye bonus point?

Oh hello. Georgia have gone for the corner with 90 seconds on the clock. Do they fancy themselves to nick this one with two quick scores?

Well, they might have fancied themselves, but it hasn’t worked out for them. The ball is knocked on in the lineout and it’ll be Scotland’s scrum with 30 seconds remaining.

FULL TIME: Scotland 15-6 Georgia

That’s that. George Clancy blows for full time and Scotland have another four points in Pool B.

I don’t think anyone can really argue with that result. Scotland were dominant throughout, particularly in terms of territory, while Georgia never really looked like doing much more than kicking a few opportunistic penalties.

Mostly through some solid defensive work, the Georgians did manage to keep the game interesting until the last five minutes or so. Their game against Romania in a few weeks will be a good old battle if nothing else.

The Scots have an 11-day break now to prepare for their next opponents — Los Pumas in Wellington on 25 September. They’re two from two, but they’ll probably need to step up a gear or two if they’re to get anything out of the last two games.

I’m off to write about some non-rugby stuff for the next little while, but we’ll have lots more news and reaction from #RWC2011 throughout that day.

How about that Ireland team, eh?

Thanks for stopping by.