2007 Rugby World Cup: Georgia claim first World Cup victory
{{date|September 28, 2007}}
[[Image:RugbyWorldCup2007.png|right|150px]]
[[w:Georgia national rugby union team|Georgia]] won their first ever match in a World Cup with a 30-0 victory over [[w:Namibia national rugby union team|Namibia]] on Wednesday. [[w:Romania national rugby union team|Romania]] came from behind to defeat [[w:Portugal national rugby union team|Portugal]] 14-10, while [[w:Samoa national rugby union team|Samoa]] won 25-21 despite a late fightback from the [[w:United States national rugby union team|United States]]. [[w:Japan national rugby union team|Japan]] scored a last minute try to draw 12-12 with [[w:Canada national rugby union team|Canada]].

[[Japan]] took an early lead when [[w:Kosuke Endo|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 [[w:2007 Rugby World Cup - Pool B|Pool B]]. Australia have qualified for the quarter-finals, while Wales and Fiji face each other for second place.

In [[w:2007 Rugby World Cup - Pool C|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.

[[:category:Georgia (country)|Georgia]] comfortably defeated [[Namibia]] 30-0 to record their first ever victory in any World Cup appearance. [[w:Merab Kvirikashvili|Merab Kvirikashvili]] opened the scoring with two penalties while [[w:Akvsenti Giorgadze|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 [[w:2007 Rugby World Cup - Pool D|Pool D]], having lost all their matches. Georgia are fourth in the group with five points, behind Ireland on nine.

In [[w:2007 Rugby World Cup - Pool A|Pool A]], [[:category:Samoa|Samoa]] won their first match of their World Cup with a 25-21 victory over the [[United States]]. [[w:Lome Fa'atau|Lome Fa'atau]] and [[w:Alesana Tuilagi|Alesana Tuilagi]] scored tries for Samoa as they raced to an early lead. [[w:Mike Hercus|Mike Hercus]] scored a penalty for the Americans, but just before half time [[w:Kane Thompson|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 [[w:Louis Stanfill|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.
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{{footballbox|
date=September 25, 2007<br>18:00 (UTC+2) |
team1=[[w:Canada national rugby union team|Canada]] [[Image:Flag of Canada.svg|20px]] |
score= 12 – 12 |
team2=[[Image:Flag of Japan.svg|20px]] [[w:Japan national rugby union team|Japan]] |
report= |
goals1='''Tries:''' P Riordan 48' m<br />D T H van der Merwe 65' c<br />'''Con:''' [[w:James Pritchard|J Pritchard]] (1/1) |
goals2='''Tries:''' [[w:Kosuke Endo|K Endo]] 12' m<br />K Taira 80+' c<br />'''Con:''' S Onishi (1/2)|
stadium=[[w:Stade Chaban-Delmas|Stade Chaban-Delmas]], [[w:Bordeaux|Bordeaux]] |
referee=[[w:Jonathan Kaplan (rugby)|Jonathan Kaplan]] [[Image:Flag of South Africa.svg|20px]]}}

{{footballbox|
date=September 25, 2007<br>20:00 (UTC+2) |
team1=[[w:Romania national rugby union team|Romania]] [[Image:Flag of Romania.svg|20px]] |
score= 14 – 10 |
team2=[[Image:Flag of Portugal.svg|20px]] [[w:Portugal national rugby union team|Portugal]] |
report= |
goals1='''Tries:''' M Tincu 63' c<br />F Corodeanu 72' c<br />'''Con:''' V Calafeteanu (1/1)<br />D Dumbrava (1/1) |
goals2='''Try:''' J Ferreira 18' c<br />'''Con:''' D Pinto (1/1)<br />'''Pen:''' G Malheiro (1/1) 69' |
stadium=[[w:Stadium de Toulouse|Stadium de Toulouse]], [[w:Toulouse|Toulouse]] |
referee=[[w:Paul Honiss|Paul Honiss]] [[Image:Flag of New Zealand.svg|20px]]}}

{{footballbox|
date=September 26, 2007<br>18:00 (UTC+2) |
team1=[[w:Georgia national rugby union team|Georgia]] [[Image:Flag of Georgia.svg|20px]] |
score= 30 – 0 |
team2=[[Image:Flag of Namibia.svg|20px]] [[w:Namibia national rugby union team|Namibia]] |
report= |
goals1='''Tries:''' [[w:Akvsenti Giorgadze|A Giorgadze]] 37' c<br />I Machkhaneli 70' c<br />D Kacharava 80+' c<br />'''Con:''' [[w:Merab Kvirikashvili|M Kvirikashvili]] (3/3)<br />'''Pen:''' [[w:Merab Kvirikashvili|M Kvirikashvili]] (3/6) 8', 26', 69' |
goals2= |
stadium=[[w:Stade Félix Bollaert|Stade Félix Bollaert]], [[w:Lens, Pas-de-Calais|Lens]] |
referee=[[w:Steve Walsh (rugby)|Steve Walsh]] [[Image:Flag of New Zealand.svg|20px]]}}

{{footballbox|
date=September 26, 2007<br>20:00 (UTC+2) |
team1=[[w:Samoa national rugby union team|Samoa]] [[Image:Flag of Samoa.svg|20px]] |
score= 25 – 21 |
team2=[[Image:Flag of the United States.svg|20px]] [[w:United States national rugby union team|United States]] |
report= |
goals1='''Tries:''' [[w:Lome Fa'atau|L Fa'atau]] 5' m<br />[[w:Alesana Tuilagi|A Tuilagi]] 9' c<br />[[w:Kane Thompson|K Thompson]] 37' c<br />'''Con:''' [[w:Loki Crichton|L Crichton]] (2/3)<br />'''Pen:''' [[w:Loki Crichton|L Crichton]] (2/2) 30', 72' |
goals2='''Tries:''' T Ngwenya 53' c<br />[[w:Louis Stanfill|L Stanfill]] 79' m<br />'''Con:''' [[w:Mike Hercus|M Hercus]] (1/2)<br />'''Pen:''' [[w:Mike Hercus|M Hercus]] (3/4) 32', 65', 75' |
stadium=[[w:Stade Geoffroy-Guichard|Stade Geoffroy-Guichard]], [[w:Saint-Étienne|Saint-Étienne]] |
referee=[[w:Wayne Barnes|Wayne Barnes]] [[Image:Flag of England.svg|20px]]}}

{{haveyoursay}}
==Related news==
{{wikipedia|2007 Rugby World Cup}}
*{{wikinews|title=2007 Rugby World Cup: South Africa, Australia and New Zealand qualify|date=September 24, 2007}}
*{{wikinews|title=2007 Rugby World Cup: France 25 - 3 Ireland|date=September 21, 2007}}
*{{wikinews|title=2007 Rugby World Cup: Wales 72 - 18 Japan|date=September 20, 2007}}
*{{wikinews|title=2007 Rugby World Cup: Italy 31 - 5 Portugal|date=September 19, 2007}}
*{{wikinews|title=2007 Rugby World Cup: Scotland 42 - 0 Romania|date=September 18, 2007}}

==Sources==
*{{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/7011534.stm|title=Georgia 30-0 Namibia|author=|pub=BBC Sport|date=September 26, 2007}}  
*{{source|url=http://www.rugbyworldcup.com/home/fixtures/round=100/match=10103/report.html|title=Georgia record first RWC win|author=|pub=Rugby World Cup|date=September 26, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/7011563.stm|title=Samoa 25-21 USA|author=|pub=BBC Sport|date=September 26, 2007}} 
*{{source|url=http://www.rugbyworldcup.com/home/fixtures/round=100/match=10104/report.html|title=Samoa defeat USA 25-21 for first RWC 2007 win|author=|pub=Rugby World Cup|date=September 26, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/7009631.stm|title=Canada 12-12 Japan|author=|pub=BBC Sport|date=September 25, 2007}} 
*{{source|url=http://www.rugbyworldcup.com/home/fixtures/round=100/match=10101/report.html|title=Canada and Japan draw nail-biter|author=|pub=Rugby World Cup|date=September 25, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/7009670.stm|title=Romania 14-10 Portugal|author=|pub=BBC Sport|date=September 25, 2007}} 
*{{source|url=http://www.rugbyworldcup.com/home/fixtures/round=100/match=10102/report.html|title=Romania recover to beat Portugal|author=|pub=Rugby World Cup|date=September 25, 2007}}

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[[Category:Sports]]
[[Category:Rugby]]
[[Category:Rugby World Cup]]
[[Category:Canada]]
[[Category:Japan]]
[[Category:Romania]]
[[Category:Portugal]]
[[Category:Georgia (country)]]
[[Category:Namibia]]
[[Category:United States]]
[[Category:Samoa]]
[[Category:Polynesia]]
[[Category:Europe]]
[[Category:North America]]
[[Category:Africa]]
[[Category:Asia]]

[[es:Copa Mundial de Rugby 2007: Samoa 25 - 21 Estados Unidos]]
[[es:Copa Mundial de Rugby 2007: Georgia 30 - 0 Namibia]]
[[es:Copa Mundial de Rugby 2007: Rumania 14 - 10 Portugal]]
[[es:Copa Mundial de Rugby 2007: Canadá 12 - 12 Japón]]
[[fr:Coupe du Monde de rugby 2007 : Samoa 25 - 21 États-Unis]]
[[fr:Coupe du Monde de rugby 2007 : Géorgie 30 - 0 Namibie]]
[[fr:Coupe du Monde de rugby 2007 : Roumanie 14 - 10 Portugal]]
[[fr:Coupe du Monde de rugby 2007 : Canada 12 - 12 Japon]]
150px
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.
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es:Copa Mundial de Rugby 2007: Samoa 25 - 21 Estados Unidos
es:Copa Mundial de Rugby 2007: Georgia 30 - 0 Namibia
es:Copa Mundial de Rugby 2007: Rumania 14 - 10 Portugal
es:Copa Mundial de Rugby 2007: Canadá 12 - 12 Japón
fr:Coupe du Monde de rugby 2007 : Samoa 25 - 21 États-Unis
fr:Coupe du Monde de rugby 2007 : Géorgie 30 - 0 Namibie
fr:Coupe du Monde de rugby 2007 : Roumanie 14 - 10 Portugal
fr:Coupe du Monde de rugby 2007 : Canada 12 - 12 Japon
Sports Rugby Rugby World Cup Canada Japan Romania Portugal Georgia (country) Namibia United States Samoa Polynesia Europe North America Africa Asia