Georgia 28-19 Italy
Georgia produced an excellent performance to shock Italy and put sharp focus on the prospect of Six Nations promotion and relegation.
Georgia burst into a 12-0 lead thanks to superb tries from Alexander Todua and Tedo Abzhandadze, but Italy hit back with a score through Tommaso Menoncello.
Two Tommy Allan penalties gave Italy the lead, but Georgia went in at the break 19-13 ahead thanks to another score from Abzhandadze – whose points total in the game was 17 – before they bravely repelled a series of Italian attacks late in the half.
The sides exchanged two penalties each after the break, and though Italy had their chances to win it, Gela Aprazidse hit a late penalty to seal a famous victory.
In a hostile atmosphere at a packed out Bautmi Stadium, Georgia made a huge statement of intent with the win, outscoring the Azzurri three tries to one to secure their first win over tier one opposition.
Italy deserve credit for their brave decision to tour Europe this summer, coming up against the three non-Six Nations sides who have qualified, or still stand a chance of qualifying for, the 2023 Rugby World Cup, but this result puts the ultimate spotlight on their Six Nations future.
In the two sides' only previous meeting in 2018 Georgia found themselves 16-7 down, and knowing they needed to make a fast start here, they came out the blocks at a blistering pace.
Their superb first try showed their armoury goes well beyond forward power, as scrum half dabbed through cleverly before Todua produced an exquisite finish centimetres short of the dead-ball line to ground the ball for the opener on ten minutes.
And then, in a try that almost mirrored Italy's iconic winner against Wales in March in the Six Nations, 19-year-old full-back Davit Niniashvili collected a kick, stepped his way through, broke down the touchline and fed Abzhandadze to double Georgia's advantage.
Abzhandadze made no mistake with the conversion, but Italy got themselves back in the game with Menoncello powering over on the quarter, and then fly-half Allan – who returned to the fold last week – landed the extras and two penalties to move Italy in front.
But again Niniashvili broke down the right touchline, and once again was the eventual scorer (this time after a few phases) to put the hosts back in charge.
Italy spent the rest of the half camped on the Georgian line, but had nothing to show for their efforts until Allan reduced the arrears to three on 52 minutes.
That, however, was followed by a penalty from Abzhandadze, and when Georgia extended their lead to six through replacement kicker Aprazidse with ten minutes remaining, having again fought off a spell of attacking pressure from the visitors, it looked as if they were already home and dry.
Allan hit back again, but Aprazidse slotted another with less than two minutes left on the clock to leave Italy facing a near impossible task.
The visitors won a penalty soon after the restart, and Allan frantically lined up a penalty attempt, but it drifted wide and as the referee blew the final whistle just over a minute later, delirium ensued amongst Georgia's jubilant supporters.
