Three Stars from Ireland’s Victory Over Georgia

As the skies opened in Tblisi, it was Ireland that were able to get the better of their hosts, finishing off with a comfortable 34-5 win.

It was a lightning-fast start in the storm as Ireland raced to a 14-point lead after just eight minutes. But when the rain came pouring down, the game became more and more sluggish and the Georgians crept back into the match.

Ireland’s lack of accuracy in the red zone let the hosts off and after a succession of penalties, Georgia crossed over for their only try with the last play of the half. At 14-5, there might have been some halftime nerves but they were eased as Craig Casey crossed over a few seconds into the second half on his debut as captain.

As expected, the Georgians were immensely physical and offered a challenge not many other sides can. However, as the game got away from them and they had less time to mount a comeback, Georgia’s discipline went.

Prendergast put the game beyond doubt with two penalty kicks before Nick Timoney got a try in only his fourth cap, having waited patiently for opportunities since his last cap in 2022.

A win is a win and should be celebrated as such, especially so with so many players and coaches unavailable because of the Lions tour.

Ireland’s three players that stood out against Georgia

Tommy O’Brien

It was a dream debut for Tommy O’Brien as the Leinster winger continued on from his sensational second half of the season by scoring two first half tries. His first one came after the first minute and it came from a beautiful take from a delicate Sam Prendergast chip, meanwhile his second was a great winger’s finish after gathering a bounce pass from Prendergast again.

O’Brien has made a name for himself in the second half of the season for Leinster with his immense work rate and pace. His pace is something Ireland doesn’t really have and under the tutelage of Nienaber, his defence is second to none. His fellow winger Jacob Stockdale should also get a mention after a great contribution, but a shoulder injury forced him off in the first half.

Sam Prendergast

After a rough spell following the France loss,
Sam Prendergast
showed everyone why he has been backed by many to go to the top.

His telepathy with O’Brien got Ireland their first two scores and he was conducting play at aplomb. He also slotted all of his kicks from the tee which was a welcome change from his kicking form at Leinster towards the end of the season.

Under the pressure of the monstrous Georgian pack, Prendergast didn’t back down from the challenge. He actually exploited Georgia’s aggressive line speed with some beautiful little dinks as seen in O’Brien’s first score.

Crowley should get the opportunity to start next week in Lisbon but Prendergast can come away from this summer series with his head held high.

Craig Casey

Since returning from injury, Casey has been on a sensational run which saw many feel that he was harshly left out of the Lions squad.

Coming in for his first game as captain, the scrumhalf showed exactly why O’Connell went for the Limerick man to lead the side. It’s not just his leadership skills but Casey’s tempo has also picked up, becoming a perfect foil in this Ireland attack.

His box kicking was also commendable with a few nice chips over the back of rucks helping get Ireland in good positions while also scoring the try of the night. He could really push for Gibson-Park’s spot soon, especially with the form he is in.