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Fiji vs Georgia: The unlikely Pool C decider


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Fiji head coach Simon Raiwalui is braced for a physical onslaught from Georgia in a Pool C clash which could spell the end of Australia’s World Cup.

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The Wallabies’ participation in France is on a knife-edge following defeats to Wales and Fiji.

And if Fiji secure a bonus-point win against Georgia in Bordeaux on Saturday, Eddie Jones’ Australia will be out of the tournament before the knockout phase for the first time.

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Fiji have won four of their six matches against Georgia, and a fifth win from seven would put them in a strong position to qualify for the quarter-finals for the first time since 2007 ahead of their concluding group match against Portugal.

“It’s going to be a physical game,” said Raiwalui. “We know them quite well because we’ve played them quite often.

“They’re fit, they’ve obviously prepared well, and they love to play with that physicality, something that we like to do as well.

“We’re at similar stages of our development, we’re looking to get further and move up further with bigger matches outside the World Cup. We have the utmost respect for Georgia and what they’re doing and we understand it’s going to be a very tough match.”

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Fiji make just one change from the line-up that secured a memorable 22-15 win against Australia, with Selestino Ravutaumada replacing Jiuta Wainiqolo, who is suffering from an ankle problem.

Fourth-placed Georgia still have an outside chance at reaching the last eight following an 18-18 draw against Portugal last time out in their second game of the tournament.

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TL 1 hour ago
Joe Schmidt bows out on a high - but can the Wallabies escape 'the twilight zone'?

It’s hard to see how any coach could have done much better and that coaches can only shift the dial so much in Australia, we’ve had some of the best in the world and the trajectory has been the same. The win/loss record is obviously an important metric, but it is only one metric, and not necessarily the best to assess a team that is really still in a building phase (2024 was recovery!). You could look at something like average losing margin, and the trajectory there is much better, with the 2025/2026 results close to half the losing margin in 2024 and during Eddie’s reign (roughly 10, compared to closer to 20). Much has been made of the so called merry-go-round at 10 (really sick of that phrase but here I am using it), but losing Noah, Lygnah and Dono between Fiji and SA games in 2025, and Carter then Dono in 2026 had nothing to do with Joe. He consistently backed his first choices and backed youth at 10 when he could. The injuries led to a massive increase in uncertainty around whether to risk players who weren’t ready or back experience but lose the future benefit. In that situation I think we need to permit our coaches a greater degree of experimentation and error. Much has been made of the LSL situation, but what about how Joe’s selections at lock have led to some real depth of capability there, with players that weren’t as conspicuously impressive (e.g. Williams, Canham). Joe has made his mistakes, but he righted the trend that was heading sharply down, and I suspect that as with what he left in Ireland and as with Stuart Lancaster your old mate, the true test of his time will be what happens in the wake.

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