New Zealand vs Georgia - Match Preview

For the All Blacks, their third pool game is in reality another minor bridge to be crossed on the way to the play-offs. Contrast their relative stroll through the pool games after beating Argentina with that of the heavyweight clashes in Pool A where hosts England are in an intense battle for survival with Wales and Australia.

Georgia will offer physical intensity, but do not have the attacking prowess to trouble the defending champions overmuch, having beaten Tonga 17-10 before showing their limitations in losing 54-9 to Argentina. This will be their first ever Test against New Zealand and they will have some inside knowledge on the way the All Blacks play through coach Milton Haig, a New Zealander who came to Georgia after spending a decade coaching age-group teams for the NZ Rugby Union. They will look to winning their own set phase ball and to in-your-face defence as keys to a creditable performance, but their lack of attacking structure against Argentina was indicative of their likely struggle to penetrate the All Black defence.

The All Blacks will look for guidance in sorting out selection of a few first-choice and bench positions (albeit against a team not equipped to test them unduly), to honing their game-plan without giving away too much for the bigger games ahead, and will hope to get through injury-free.

Key players:
Waisake Naholo makes his much anticipated World Cup debut after his miraculous recovery from a fractured leg using traditional herbal remedies in rural Nadroumai Village. Sonny Bill Williams gets another opportunity to play between Dan Carter and Conrad Smith and to stake his claim to the big-game 12 jersey ahead of Ma’a Nonu. Aaron Smith is back at 9. For Georgia, captain Mamuka Gorgodze, switching from number 8 to openside flank, plus flyhalf Lasha Malaguradze and outside centre David Kacharava – the only three players not to be dropped after the loss to Argentina.

The big match-ups:
Naholo vs Alexandr Todua out wide. Gorgodze has the mammoth task of competing with Richie McCaw at openside, while Tamaz Mchedlidze comes up against Sonny Bill Williams at inside centre.