Ireland U-18s Battle Past Georgia For Winning Finish To South Africa Tour

Conor O’Shaughnessy’s 61st-minute penalty, and a determined late defensive stand, saw the Ireland Under-18 Schools team (sponsored by PwC) edge out Georgia 17-15 in their final U-18 International Series match in Paarl.

UNDER-18 MEN’S INTERNATIONAL SERIES – ROUND 3:

Tuesday, August 20 –

IRELAND U-18 SCHOOLS 17 GEORGIA UNDER-18s 15, Paarl Boys’ High School, Paarl
Scorers: Ireland: Tries: Joe Finn, Jack Deegan; Cons: Conor O’Shaughnessy 2; Pen: Conor O’Shaughnessy
Georgia: Tries: Anri Shvelidze 2; Con: Gigi Sirbiladze; Pen: Gigi Sirbiladze
HT: Ireland 7 Georgia 15

Georgia captain Gigi Sirbiladze converted one of Anri Shvelidze’s two lineout maul tries, and added a late penalty, to leave Ireland with a 15-7 half-time deficit to overcome.

Michael Hodge’s side had hit back thanks to a smartly-crafted Joe Finn score, which owed much to Banbridge Academy hooker Conor Magee’s tackle-breaking run and well-timed offload.

Classy centre Jack Deegan’s fourth try of the tournament, deftly set up by his midfield partner Sean Walsh, was converted by O’Shaughessy to close the gap to 15-14 with 28 minutes remaining.

The well-drilled Georgians had beaten France earlier in the year and went close to drawing with England last Friday, and they looked to have the upper hand again when the otherwise-impressive Bill Hayes was sin binned on the hour mark.

However, Blackrock College out-half O’Shaughnessy split the posts just a couple minutes later, giving Ireland the lead for the only time, before Sirbiladze’s last-gasp penalty miss saw the game end in dramatic fashion.

With 22 of Ireland’s squad in South Africa having also played at this year’s U-18 Six Nations Festival in Parma, a tour such as this is integral for the development and growth of these players as they continue to gain valuable experience in the green jersey.

Half-backs O’Shaughnessy and Christopher Barrett came in for their first starts of the three-round series, as did Jamie Conway and Sam Bishti in the front row, along with Blackrock’s Michael Walsh at blindside flanker.

Johnny O’Sullivan and Finn made it seven changes in all, having both started the opening clash with England last week. Centre duo Deegan and Sean Walsh had some promising early touches before Georgia launched themselves forward from a scrum penalty.

Despite some turnover-winning maul defence from Hayes, Michael Walsh and Finn, the Georgians forced a second scrum penalty, and a well-executed drive from the resulting seventh-minute lineout saw Shvelidze deliver the opening points.

Sirbiladze converted from the right, but his half-back partner Temur Dzodzuashvili’s overcooked box-kick allowed Ireland to build some phases. Charlie Meagher and Deegan got them over the gain-line, and a scrum penalty put them up into the Georgian 22.

Coming around the corner off the initial maul, the Ireland forwards got within five metres of the try-line but Georgia’s robust defence held firm. Luka Saghinadze, one of four of Georgia’s starting pack attached to French clubs, also stole a lineout.

Gaining the decision at a second scrum, the quick ball ball alllowing CBC Cork’s Barrett to get Brian O’Flaherty involved off his left wing on a few occasions.

Despite Meagher and Magee making good ground with their carries, Ireland remained scoreless past the 20-minute mark. A quickly-taken penalty might have ended with O’Flaherty scoring in the left corner, but Deegan had a cut himself and was isolated.

In response, Georgia showed how clinical they could be with an almost carbon copy of their first try. Sirbiladze got every inch out of a pinpoint penalty to touch, and his pack did the rest, driving hooker Shvelidze over on the right in the 27th minute.

Now a dozen points in arrears with Sirbiladze missing his conversion on the near side, Ireland needed a quick-fire reply. Michael Walsh won O’Shaughnessy’s restart to get them moving in the right direction, with their attack beginning to look sharper.

A well-directed maul put Hodge’s youngsters back into the Georgian 22, and then hooker Magee brilliantly broke free from Nikoloz Chkhortolia’s tackle and charged through, tying in two defenders before slinging an offload back for Finn to dive over.

After O’Shaughnessy had added the extras to the right of the posts, industrious number 8 Meagher was frustratingly caught offside before the interval. Sirbiladze slotted over his kick to leave more than a converted score in it.

Early in the second half, flanker Hayes used a strong hand-off to reach the Georgian 22, and although that attack broke down, Michael Walsh’s counter-rucking gave Bishti the chance to snap up turnover ball in a promising position.

This time the Irish attack clicked in devastasting fashion, with the half-backs combining well and Hayes’ pullback leading to centre Walsh’s short, flat delivery, under pressure from two defenders, which sent the onrushing Deegan dashing over from 17 metres out.

Following O’Shaughnessy’s well-struck conversion to make it a one-point game (15-14), Clongowes Wood College’s Max Doyle came on to good effect in the scrum, drawing a penalty out of the Junior Lelos.

O’Shaughnessy went for goal from distance, but nudged his kick away to the right. Diarmaid O’Connell from Sligo Grammar School also made an impact off the Irish bench, stealing a lineout and combining with Doyle to force a knock-on as Georgia piled on the pressure.

Both teams turned over possession amid some tense phases, and with South African referee Hanru van Rooyen having warned Ireland about their discipline, blindside Hayes paid the price with a yellow for no clear release as he went for a poach.

Ireland had the better of the territory, crucially, and after prop Doyle had done well to gather in a loose ball from a Sirbiladze kick, the Georgian skipper was too eager at a ruck and was penalised for going offside.

Backchat saw the kick marched forward closer to Georgia’s 22, and O’Shaughnessy coolly nailed his attempt from the right to give his team-mates a timely boost while Hayes was off the pitch.

Winger O’Sullivan was solid under the high ball, and Ireland captain Charlie Molony efficiently covered the back-field, as Georgia probed for openings. They turned to their big forwards to launch a furious onslaught that thoroughly tested the Irish defence and their discipline.

Replacement Levan Ezieshvili almost got over for a try, but Dylan McNeice and Deegan provided strong resistance right on the Irish try-line, holding him up with O’Shaughnessy also scrambling across to assist them.

There was further drama when Meagher was penalised for a late tackle on Sirbiladze. The Georgian out-half’s strike, from close to the Irish 10-metre line and out on the left, was short and off target, though, and it was game over after Sean Walsh had booted the ball to touch.

TIME LINE: 7 minutes – Georgia try: Anri Shvelidze – 0-5; conversion: Gigi Sirbiladze – 0-7; 27 mins – Georgia try: Anri Shvelidze – 0-12; conversion: missed by Gigi Sirbiladze – 0-12; 32 mins – Ireland try: Joe Finn – 5-12; conversion: Conor O’Shaughnessy – 7-12; 35 mins – Georgia penalty: Gigi Sirbiladze – 7-15; Half-time – Ireland 7 Georgia 15; 42 mins – Ireland try: Jack Deegan – 12-15; conversion: Conor O’Shaughnessy – 14-15; 47 mins – Ireland penalty: missed by Conor O’Shaughnessy – 14-15; 59 mins – Ireland yellow card: Bill Hayes; 61 mins – Ireland penalty: Conor O’Shaughnessy – 17-15; 70+1 mins – Georgia penalty: missed by Gigi Sirbiladze – 17-15; Full-time – Ireland 17 Georgia 15

GEORGIA U-18: Luka Tvauri (Khvamli Tbilisi); Saba Sharvashidze (RC Aia Kutaisi), Leonide Saldadze (RC Locomotive Tbilisi), Davit Barbakadze (RC Army Tbilisi), Giga Kipshidze (Khvamli Tbilisi); Gigi Sirbiladze (Lelo Saracens) (capt), Temur Dzodzuashvili (RC Aia Kutaisi); Dachi Chelidze (Lelo Saracens), Anri Shvelidze (CA Brive), Archil Nozadze (SU Agen), Davit Baramia (Lelo Saracens), Nikoloz Chkhortolia (ASM Clermont Auvergne), Giorgi Ardzenadze (RC Chakvi), Luka Saghinadze (Lyon OU), Mikheil Shioshvili (Lelo Saracens).

Replacements: Davit Archvadze (Lelo Saracens), Nikoloz Olkishvili (Lelo Saracens), Levan Ezieshvili (ASM Clermont Auvergne), Giorgi Mefarishvili (RC Aia Kutaisi), Luka Gabunia (RC Aia Kutaisi), Davit Tsiklauri (Khvamli Tbilisi), Givi Soselia (Kolkh Knights), Davit Araviashvili (RC Armazi Marneuli), Ioane Basilaya (Lelo Saracens), Nikoloz Khalvashi (Lelo Saracens), Giorgi Zazadze (RC Rustavi Kharebi).

IRELAND U-18 SCHOOLS: Charlie Molony (Blackrock College/Leinster) (capt); Johnny O’Sullivan (Blackrock College/Leinster), Jack Deegan (Cistercian College Roscrea/Leinster), Sean Walsh (Coláiste Éinde/Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht Rugby), Brian O’Flaherty (Blackrock College/Leinster); Conor O’Shaughnessy (Blackrock College/Leinster), Christopher Barrett (CBC Cork/Munster); Jamie Conway (Castletroy College/Munster), Conor Magee (Banbridge Academy/Ulster), Sami Bishti (Blackrock College/Leinster), Joe Finn (Cistercian College Roscrea/Munster), Dylan McNeice (St. Michael’s College/Leinster), Michael Walsh (Blackrock College/Leinster), Bill Hayes (Cistercian College Roscrea/Munster), Charlie Meagher (CBC Monkstown/Leinster).

Replacements used: Diarmaid O’Connell (Carrick-on-Shannon RFC/Sligo Grammar School/Connacht) for Meagher, Max Doyle (Clongowes Wood College/Leinster) for Conway (both 43 mins), Donnacha McGuire (Blackrock College/Leinster) for Finn, James O’Dwyer (Gonzaga College/Leinster) for Barrett (both 55), Blake McClean (RBAI/Ulster) for Bishti, Thomas Dougan (Royal School Armagh/Ulster) for M Walsh, Josh Gibson (RBAI/Ulster) for O’Flaherty (all 59), Luke McLaughlin (Gonzaga College/Leinster) for Magee (61), Noah Byrne (Gonzaga College/Leinster) for O’Sullivan (63), Meagher for McNeice (70).

Referee: Hanru van Rooyen (South Africa)