Georgia and Romania have met three times so far, with Romania
winning the first two and Georgia last one.
1998 11/18 Dublin (Ire;RWCQ) Romania 27 (3T) Georgia 23 (2T)
2000 04/02 Tbilissi (ENC) Georgia 20 (2T) Romania 23 (2T)
2001 04/07 Bucuresti (ENC) Romania 20 (3T) Georgia 31 (3T)
* 1998: ROM 27-23 GEO (Lansdowne Road)
ROM advanced to RWC'99 Finals
Lagging behind at half-time and been on a backfoot to
stronger GEO pack, ROM resorted to chip-kicks after
the resumption and twice exposed Lelos back division
frailties in quick succession
GEO again outmuscled the opposition and got within a
point but Petre Mitu made a run-around with Vioreanu
and scrambled over in the corner for a decisive try
ROM: 15 Vioreanu, 14 Hildan, 13 Brezoianu, 12 Gontineac, 11 Solomie (Ciolacu); 10 Vusec; 9 Mitu / 1 Niculae, 2 Mavrodin (Balan), 3 Stan (Mariora); 4 Dragomir (Doja), 5 Girbu; 6 Manta, 7 Corodeanu (Slusariuc), 8 Draguceanu CAPT - 3T: Vioreanu, Brezoianu, Mitu; 3C, 2P: Mitu
GEO: 15 Urjukashvili, 14 Kavtarashvili, 13 Jimsheladze, 12 Khamashuridze, 11 Buguianishvili; 10 Machitidze (Tepnadze); 9 Guiorkhelidze (Janelidze) / 1 Mtiulishvili (Shvelidze), 2 Guiorgadze, 3 Tsabadze; 4 Ruskini, 5 Mtchedlishvili CAPT; 6 Lezhava (Katsadze), 7 Labadze, 8 K.Kobakhidze (Nadiradze) - 2T: Tsabadze, Kavtarashvili; 2C: Urjukashvili; 3P: Machitidze, Urjukashvili 2
REF: Kaplan (RSA)
3-6 HT / 10-6 17-6(45) 17-13 17-16(72) 24-16 27-16 27-23 FT
* 2000: GEO 20-23 ROM (National, 35 thousand)
ROM won the inaugural ENC
The tide turned at 36 min mark when centre Andghuladze
violently charged Vioreanu who has just misfielded a
garryowen deep in the in-goal. While Nono was in the
cooler, Oaks scored two great tries via their elusive
backs after sliced clean-out attempts from the hosts
GEO pack again prevailed albeit Kavtarashvili escaped
from his half of the field for a try. At one hour mark
GEO wasted a golden opportunity from 5m LO and SCR,
and eventually lost to a better side on the day,
masterly guided by certain Petre Mitu who time after
time was turning advancing Lelos via brilliantly
weighted kicks to corner
GEO: 15 Khekhelashvili (Iurini), 14 Khamashuridze, 13 Andghuladze SB (Buguianishvili), 12 Katsadze, 11 Kavtarashvili; 10 Jimsheladze, 9 Abusseridze (Janelidze) / 1 Shvelidze, 2 Guiorgadze, 3 Tsabadze SB (Nikolaenko); 4 Nadiradze, 5 Mtchedlishvili CAPT; 6 Vartaniani, 7 Labadze (Bolghashvili), 8 Zedguinidze - 2T: Kavtarashvili, Nadiradze; 2C, 2P: Jimsheladze
ROM: 15 Vioreanu, 14 Dumitru, 13 Brezoianu, 12
Gontineac, 11 Sirbu; 10 Tofan, 9 Mitu (BB Ezaru) /
1 Mavrodin (Niculae), 2 Balan, 3 Dima; 4 Brinza, 5
Constantin; 6 Corodeanu, 7 Petrache (Tonita), 8
Draguceanu CAPT -
2T: Sirbu, Brezoianu; 2C, 2P: Mitu; DG: Tofan
REF: Pruvot (FRA)
3-0(3) 3-3(5 dg) 6-3(9) 6-6(20) 6-13 (40) HT / 6-20(45) 13-20(53) 13-23(68) 20-23(80) FT
* 2001: ROM 20-31 GEO (Ghencia, 2 thousand)
GEO clinched the ENC title
Lelos absorbed early pressure and let just a
drop-goal. Then they outmuscled and outwitted the Oaks
on a windy day when every tactical kick from the hosts
went astray or on full
Nevertheless, soon after half-time ROM was firmly back
and squared. At this crucial stage Lelos skipper
Tsabadze went off with injured neck but urged the doc
to let him continue. On the other hand, Balan stupidly
late charged Urjukashvili and was sin-binned
While ROM was one man short, GEO scored two quick
tries, the second from the brave skipper who got the
ball some 15 metres out and still reached the try-line
with three tacklers hanging to him
ROM: 15 Maftei (Vioreanu), 14 Ghioc, 13 Oprea, 12
Gontineac, 11 Brezoianu; 10 Ciolacu, 9 Sirbu (Podea) /
1 Dima, 2 Demci (Balan SB), 3 Popescu (Toderasc); 4
Socol, 5 Tonita; 6 Iacob, 7 Manta CAPT (Dragomir), 8
Corodeanu -
3T: Ghioc, Corodeanu 2; C: Ciolacu; DG: Gontineac
GEO: 15 Khamashuridze, 14 Urjukashvili, 13 Zibzibadze, 12 Katsadze, 11 Abashidze (Khekhelashvili); 10 Jimsheladze, 9 Abusseridze / 1 Mtiulishvili (Nikolaenko), 2 Guiorgadze SB, 3 Tsabadze CAPT (BB Ratianidze); 4 Nadiradze, 5 Didebulidze (Mtchedlishvili); 6 Bolghashvili, 7 Yachvili (Javelidze), 8 Zedguinidze - 3T: Abusseridze, Bolghashvili, Tsabadze; 2C: Jimsheladze; 4P: Jimsheladze 3, Urjukashvili
REF: Dartigeas (FRA)
3-0(3 dg) 3-3(24) 3-10(32) 3-13(40) HT / 8-13(49) 13-13(54) 13-16(61) 13-23(66) 13-28(72) 20-28(77) 20-31(79) FT
END )))