2007 Rugby World Cup: Georgia claim first World Cup victory

September 28, 2007 Georgia won their first ever match in a World Cup with a 30-0 victory over Namibia on Wednesday. Romania came from behind to defeat Portugal 14-10, while Samoa won 25-21 despite a late fightback from the United States. Japan scored a last minute try to draw 12-12 with Canada.

Japan took an early lead when Kosuke Endo scored a try in the only score of the first half. Pat Riordan and D T H van der Merwe both scored in the second half as Canada led 12-5. However Koji Taira scored for Japan in injury time and Shotaro Onishi added the conversion to tie the match 12-12. Both sides are eliminated from Pool B. Australia have qualified for the quarter-finals, while Wales and Fiji face each other for second place.

In Pool C, World Cup debutants Portugal led Romania 7-0 at half time thanks to a try from Joaquim Ferreira. Marius Tincu scored for Romania with less than twenty minutes left to level the scores, before Goncalo Malheiro kicked Portugal back into the lead with a penalty. Florin Corodeanu however won the match for Romania with a 72nd minute try. Neither side can qualify from the pool, but Portugal pick up a bonus point while Romania move on to five points behind Italy, who must play Scotland to decide second place as New Zealand have won the pool.

Georgia comfortably defeated Namibia 30-0 to record their first ever victory in any World Cup appearance. Merab Kvirikashvili opened the scoring with two penalties while Akvsenti Giorgadze scored the first try just before half time bringing the score to 13-0. Another penalty from Kvirikashvili and two late tries from Irakli Machkhaneli and Davit Kacharava completed the victory for Georgia. Namibia are eliminated from Pool D, having lost all their matches. Georgia are fourth in the group with five points, behind Ireland on nine.

In Pool A, Samoa won their first match of their World Cup with a 25-21 victory over the United States. Lome Fa'atau and Alesana Tuilagi scored tries for Samoa as they raced to an early lead. Mike Hercus scored a penalty for the Americans, but just before half time Kane Thompson scored Samoa's third try bringing the score to 22-3 at the interval. A late fightback from the United States, with tries from Takudzwa Ngwenya and Louis Stanfill, was not enough to win the match but earned them a bonus point. Both Samoa and the USA are eliminated from Pool A. South Africa are top of the group, while England play Tonga for second place.