Betfair Official Blog

Battle of the not-so giants as Georgia lock horns with Namibia

Click here to view market

Betting experts Chicken Dinner look ahead to Namibia's not-so-awaited clash with Georgia

Georgia vs Namibia, Rugby World Cup, Wednesday September 26, Pool D
Namibia + 6.5 points

Current IRB world rankings, as of September 24, 2007: Georgia 16, Namibia 24.

Certain things in life are surely pointless. In this category we can include such irrelevancies as the career of Emilio Estevez post-Stakeout, Belgian celebrity gossip columns and the position of Chelsea head coach. Also pointless, both literally and figuratively, are the Georgian and Namibian rugby teams. Wednesday night sees these sporting nobodies come head to head. This is the sort of match that really tests ITV's commitment to broadening the appeal of rugby and will probably end up being scheduled to follow Sabrina the Teenage Witch on the CITV channel. Nobody cares about this one.

Nobody cares, except of course, the Georgians and the Namibians. Both teams have proved incredibly consistent in losing every World Cup match they've ever been involved in. Now, one of these teams will lose this 100% record and strike up their first victory, unless their commitment to not winning extends to them drawing. Luckily though, with handicap betting, draws do not exist. (You can get Namibia +6.5 points on betfair at 2.9, Georgia -6.5 points on betfair at 1.3)

Of the two sides, it is Namibia that boast the greater number of World Cup appearances, having now made the last 3 tournaments. This consistency can probably be chalked down to the sheer weakness of the African qualifying group, rather than any real development on Namibia's part. Once in the finals, Namibia have always been torn apart by every team that have been fortunate enough to be drawn in the same group.

From their 10 previous World Cup games, Namibia have conceded over 50 points on 7 occasions and these thrashings have come from a mixed bag of opponents. Back in 2003 the closest Namibia came to inflicting any damage against Australia, was with potential back injuries, as the Wallabies bent down to score 22 tries in their 142-0 win (a record margin of victory in a World Cup). The Namibians have also been routed by France (twice), Argentina (twice) and Ireland, but surprisingly, also by Fiji and Canada. They've also yet to lose their try scoring virginity in the World Cup. Will Georgia prove to be the special one they've been saving themselves for?

Georgia's inaugural World Cup in 2003 began badly, as they lost 84-6 to the eventual winners England. Yet their other group games have been tighter affairs, with no opponent breaking 50 points. Unlike Namibia, Georgia do know what it's like to score a World Cup try. In fact, they've got 2, with their first coming against South Africa in 2003 and their second in the recent performance against the shoddy Irish.

The two sides met for the first time in June, with Georgia narrowly recording a win that would beat the handicap, with a score of 26-18. Georgia's advantage comes from being tested more often against a better class of team. They regularly compete in the European Nations Cup, which sees them against fellow World Cup qualifiers Portugal and Romania, whilst Namibia qualified by beating the likes of Kenya (who would only be good at rugby if the pitch length was increased to 10,000 metres). Also in Georgia's favour is the fact that this will only be their third match, but Namibia's final game; with the organisers clearly wanting rid of them before they stink the whole place out.

Perhaps ITV's only hope of ratings for this one, is all down to the way they market it. Whoever loses this clash of the eternal losers, can truly be crowned king of the losers. In a TV culture based on cruelty, it could be a winner.