Georgia climbed above Tonga in the race for third place in Pool C but only after an heroic - if not always legal - rearguard action by Namibia, who broke their Rugby World Cup points duck at Sandy Park on Wednesday night.
Barely credibly, the Africans survived the loss of their captain, Jacques Burger, to a concussion injury after 10 minutes, as well as two late yellow cards yet still managed to lead 6-0 at half-time.
The ferocity of the Namibians’ defence was matched only by the profligacy of the Georgians’ error-strewn handling as two first-half touchdowns were ruled out, for a knock-on and a forward pass.
Logic suggested it couldn’t last and eventually Georgia’s man-mountain of a captain, Mamuka Gorgodze (pictured above), powered over for a try in the 50th minute.
THIRD YELLOW CARD
Merab Kvirikashvili converted but only after number eight Renaldo Bothma became the third Namibian to be shown a yellow card, this time for a high tackle in the build-up to the try.
Flagging visibly, Namibia could not halt the tide and, five minutes later, a Georgian lineout led to fly-half Lasha Malaguradze bursting over for a second try and a 14-6 lead.
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