Georgia's Gorgadze returns at number eight for Wallabies clash

PARIS : Georgia coach Levan Maisashvili has brought Beka Gorgadze into a rejigged back row for Saturday's World Cup Pool C opener against Australia at the Stade de France.

Gorgadze emerged as his country's top number eight at the last World Cup in Japan and returns to the back of the scrum after missing the last warm-up match against Scotland.

Tornike Jalaghonia moves to blindside flanker to make way for Gorgadze, while young gun Luka Ivanishvili shifts over to the openside flank.

Maisashvili has kept his backline intact from the 33-6 loss to Scotland with skipper Merab Sharikadze and Demur Tapladze in the centres and standout Davit Niniashvili at fullback.

Twelve of the matchday squad play their club rugby in France and nine played in the pool fixture against Australia at the 2019 World Cup, which Georgia lost 27-8.

They will be looking for a better result on Saturday after wins over Italy and Wales in the last year proved that they can beat top tier teams.

Georgia, the winners of the past five second-tier Rugby Europe Championships, are currently ranked 11th in the world, only two places below the twice world champion Wallabies.

Team: 15-Davit Niniashvili, 14-Akaki Tabutsadze, 13-Demur Tapladze, 12-Merab Sharikadze (captain), 11-Mirian Modebadze, 10-Luka Matkava, 9-Vaso Lobzhanidze, 8-Beka Gorgadze, 7-Luka Ivanishvili, 6-Tornike Jalaghonia, 5-Kote Mikautadze, 4-Nodar Cheishvili, 3-Guram Papidze, 2-Shalva Mamukashvili, 1-Nika Abuladze.

Replacements: 16-Tengizi Zamtaradze, 17-Guram Gogichashvili, 18-Beka Gigashvili, 19-Lasha Jaiani, 20-Giorgi Tsutskiridze, 21-Gela Aprasidze, 22-Tedo Abzhandadze, 23-Giorgi Kveseladze