Georgia are a pack of hulking giants, who cannot be brushed aside easily

/ Editor / 28 September 2007 / Leave a Comment

Betting experts Chicken Dinner look ahead to France v Georgia

France vs Georgia, Rugby World Cup, Sunday September 30, Pool D, Marseilles
Georgia +58.5 points

Whilst their footballing brethren have conquered all before them in the last decade, French rugby players have had to play bridesmaid to a succession of brutish looking brides. This is all the more galling for a nation where rugby stands third in their list of national obsessions, just behind shrugging and adultery. With this World Cup largely taking place on Gallic soil, this was to be their big chance... and then they played Argentina.

Since then the French have regrouped to destroy Namibia and beat Ireland convincingly. Should they finish second in the group, they will have to face New Zealand. That if nothing else, should give them a huge incentive to thrash Georgia by a huge score and pray that the Irish can do them a favour against Argentina. (You can get Georgia +58.5 points on betfair at 1.4, France -58.5 points on betfair at 2.58)

In French favour is the fact that they are one of the few teams that have a full squad to choose from, welcoming back fly-half David Skréla, lock Fabien Pelous and wing Christophe Dominici to the side that beat the Irish. They came into their home World Cup having won the Six Nations title and on the back of friendly wins against England (twice) and Wales. The only lasting psychological wound came from two whippings at the hands of New Zealand, hence the great desire to avoid them in the last eight.

France have twice been World Cup runners up and twice been beaten semi-finalists. Of their 32 total tournament matches, they have won 24 games. Of these wins, only once have they won by a margin larger than the massive handicap of 58.5 points. Encouragingly, that victory came in the recent group match against Namibia. However, it can't be ignored that in World Cups past, the French have not been able to really break down sides as rank as Zimbabwe, Ivory Coast and Japan. On only three occasions have they even scored 59 points or more.

The Georgians will be very familiar with the French, with many of the team earning their living with clubs in France. If nothing else, Georgia are packed full of hulking giants, who cannot be brushed aside easily. Only in their first World Cup match against England in 2003, did they capitulate, losing 84-6. Since then Georgia have not rolled over for anyone and have never conceded more than 50 points. Unfortunately, it will not help that the Georgians had to play Namibia on Wednesday (30-0), whilst the French have been lounging around since the weekend, possibly in indecently small swimwear.

Still, they can't be too relaxed around the pool. The plan was for France to stroll into the Stade Velodrome in Marseille without a care in the world, en-route to an easy knockout clash with Scotland or Italy. So how did it come to this? Now, like Ray Charles before them, the French must instead wander blindly into the unknown, with Georgia the last thing on their mind.

Current IRB world rankings, as of September 24: France 5, Georgia, 16