Australia 35-15 Georgia: Wallabies open Rugby World Cup with workmanlike win

Ben Donaldson scored two tries in his first game in the Wallabies No. 15 shirt helping his side to an impressive tournament-opening win over Georgia at the Rugby World Cup.

Coming into the tournament on the back of five straight defeats and against a team who have shown the ability to shock top nations, Eddie Jones’ side showed no trepidation and within 10 minutes had built a convincing lead.

Jordan Petaia was key early, breaking two tackles to score the first try inside two minutes and then cleverly off-loading to Mark Nawaqanitawase to touch down.

Georgia came out a different side after the interval, despite being a man down due to Miriani Modebadze’s yellow card, with Luka Matkava’s beautiful pass setting up Luka Ivanishvili to score a deserved 47th-minute try.

Georgia had sustained territorial advantage but an error from Davit Niniashvili was capitalised on by Taniela Tupou with Donaldson running outside him to seal victory.

Donaldson, who was near flawless with his kicking in the game, pounced for another try in the closing stages, before Beka Gigashvili powered over for a deserved consolation try in the last minute.

Australia next play Fiji a week on Sunday. Georgia play Portugal in a fortnight.

They were heavy favourites to win this game but coming into the tournament on the back of five straight defeats, they could have been forgiven for a tentative start. Not a bit of it. Eddie Jones’ charges forced Georgia on the back foot immediately not allowing them to settle into the game. Georgia have a game that can allow them to compete with any opposition for periods of a match and so it proved after half time, but what will please the Wallabies coach was the way his side soaked up this pressure then punished them on the break. No one is suggesting Australia deserve to be ranked with the top four in the competition after this match, but all areas of their game looked solid.

His first game in a No. 15 shirt could not have gone much better than this. Most importantly his kicking was exceptional both out of hand and from shots at goal. In defence he was rock solid and in attack a danger, shown most graphically with his first try when he raced through to latch onto Tupou’s good work for the sealing try.

Australia: Donaldson 8*; Nawaqanitawase 7, Petaia 8, Kerevi 6, Koroibete 6; Gordon 7, McDermott 7; Bell 7, Porecki 7, Tupou 7; Arnold 7, Skelton 6; McReight 7, Hooper 7, Valentini 6.

Replacements: Faessler 6, Schoupp 6, Leota 6, Gleeson 6, White 7, Foketi 6, Vunivalu 7.

Georgia: Niniashvili 6; Tabutsadze 6; Tapladze 6; Sharikadze 6, Modebadze 6; Matkava 7, Lobzhanidze 6; Abuladze 6, Mamukashvili 6, Papidze 6; Cheishvili 7, Mikautadze 6; Jalaghonia 7, Ivanishvili 7, Gorgadze 7.

Replacements: Gogichashvili 6, Gigashvili 7, Jaiani 6, Aprasidze 6, Abzhandadze 6, Kveseladze 6.

2′ TRY FOR AUSTRALIA! Petaia goes over in the left corner for Australia. Georgia didn’t clear the initial kick and the Wallabies camped in the 22 with the outside centre breaking two tackles to get the try.

9′ TRY FOR AUSTRALIA! This time in the right corner. A wonderful offload from Petaia gives the ball to Nawaqanitawase who spins and then downs the ball.

47′ TRY FOR GEORGIA! They have come out for the second half how we expected them to play in the first. A wonderful long pass from Matkava and makeshift winger Ivanishvili dives in at the corner.

55′ TRY FOR AUSTRALIA! One misplaced pass and, just like that, Australia have extended their lead. A great burst from Niniashvilli but he spins a no-look pass backwards was gathered by Tupou who raced 30 yards and then passed wide for Donaldson to do the rest.

69′ TRY FOR DONALDSON! Another try for the Australian full back. Australia were knocking at the door after a strong lineout. Eventually the ball came out and Gordon flung the ball over a defender into the hands of Donaldson.

80′ TRY FOR GEORGIA! A deserved consolation try for Georgia and it comes from Gigashvili who smacks into a tackle on the line and spins over for the score. Matkava converts the try.

• 0 – The number of games Ben Donaldson had played in a Wallabies no15 shirt before tonight. It did not seem that way.