Rugby World Cup Pool C: Georgia looking to shock Argentina

This 2015 Rugby World Cup Pool C clash takes huge significance as the victor will go a long way to booking themselves a quarter-final spot. After losing their opener to New Zealand, Argentina (heavy odds-on 1/20 match favourites with Coral) know they have to win all of their remaining three group games to progress.

Meanwhile, Georgia (12/1 shouts), whose upset against Tonga was slightly overshadowed by Japan, know that if they can cause another shock here then they will just have to beat Namibia to get through to their first ever quarter-final. The Eastern Europeans also have the benefit of an extra day’s rest after both teams partook in physical opening affairs.

For the third successive World Cup these two meet in the pool stages. In 2007, Los Pumas were arguably the team of the tournament and comprehensively beat Georgia by 30 points. While, in 2011, the Georgians showed much improvement by leading 7-5 at half-time before conceding 18 unanswered second-half points.

They met again more recently in 2013, as the European nation closed the gap further losing just 18-29. Interestingly, over the three games Georgia have outscored their opposition in the first-half 22-20 and led at the break in the latest two meetings. A Georgia/Argentina (half-time/full-time) result at 13/2 appeals here.

After that Tonga result, the Lelos have to be respected as more than just a minnow. They’ve had an average losing scoreline of 12-28 against the second ranked team in their pool in the last three World Cups, including a 10-14 loss to Ireland in 2007.

In 2011, they pushed Scotland all the way being defeated 6-15, while in the last few years they’ve lost narrowly to Argentina (as eluded to earlier) and Fiji by five points as well as a triumph over Samoa. In fact they have only been defeated by more than 20 points once since 2011 and that was against Ireland at the Aviva Stadium.

Georgia had a simple game plan against Tonga; be physical, take them on up front and be disciplined in defence, so expect a similar performance here. Given the magnitude of the outcome of this game, Argentina will just be desperate to win so it is difficult to imagine them playing an expansive style of rugby.

Coral’s top tip: It will be tight, so back a Georgia/Argentina (half-time/full-time) outcome at 13/2