Georgia Head Coach: 'Tonga underestimated Georgia' Featured
Tonga's Steve Mafi, left, in action with Georgia's Mamuka Gorgodze (Photo: Al)
Nuku'alofa, 22 September 2015. Georgia Head Coach Milton Haig has revealed that a Tongan player admitted to underestimating Georgia during Saturday afternoon's 19 September Rugby World Cup clash at Kingsholm Stadium.
The Europeans opened their campaign with a surprise 17-10 victory in Gloucester to emerge as favourites for third spot behind New Zealand and Argentina in Pool C.
Haig acknowledged that his side were something of an unknown quantity in the tournament, but he does not believe that teams will overlook his outfit anymore.
"I spoke to one of the Tongan players I coached in New Zealand and he said to me that maybe they underestimated us a little. That they were focusing on other games instead of us, and that's an interesting comment to hear," he told reporters.
"All of our focus was on this game, as it should be. In terms of people underestimating us, I'm not sure. Maybe. We're not one of those top-tier nations, so a lot of people don't know too much about us.
"So maybe they do underestimate us, but with our victory today and that going globally I'm sure that some people will be reconsidering that now."
While Georgia are not expected to seriously challenge for a place in the knockout rounds, finishing in the top three of their group would guarantee automatic qualification to the next World Cup for the first time in the nation's history.
Source: SportsMole
2 comments
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'Oku tatau ai pe, pe na'e siolalo pe sio'olunga 'ae 'Ikale Tahi koe timi faiva 'akapulu fakafonua 'a Tonga he fe'auhi kihe Ipu 'a Mamani he Faiva 'Akapulu koe fehu'i ma'uhinga heni: Na'e fakahoko lelei nai 'ehe 'Ikale Tahi he'enau fe'auhi faiva tau'akapulu mo Geogia hono faiva'i 'ae pulu honau sino, 'aia ko hono matutefua koe "fakahu" 'ehe sino 'ae pulu, 'o tatau pe ko hono fakahu ki loto he sikalamu, sikalamu mei loto ki tu'a kihe haafe, haafe kihe feesi, feesi kihe senita, senita kihe kapakau PE fakahu 'ehe kau foueti he molo moe ulaki PE fakahu he laini 'auti, 'aka fakato moe 'aka fakatotolo PE fakahu fakataha hono lele'i he vaa'iva'inga 'o tokoto he kolo mo 'aka fakahu he vaha'akolo moe ha fua?
Na'e makatu'unga heni 'ae malohi 'ae timi faiva 'akapulu 'a Siapani he timi faiva 'akapulu 'a Saute 'Afilika, 'o lahi ange hono fakahu tonu mo lelei 'ehe sino 'ae pulu 'ehe timi 'a Siapani, 'aia na'e lau ai honau "kai," 'o nau malohi he timi faiva 'akapulu 'a Saute 'Afilika, 'aia na'e si'i ange 'enau fakahu tonu mo lelei 'ehe sino 'ae pulu, 'o 'uhinga ai 'enau fo'i, 'aia koe si'i ange ia honau "kai."
Koe sio faiva tau'akapulu pe mei he tu'alini 'i Teufaiva,
'Ofa lahi moe hufaki.
(Fakatokanga'i ange: 'Oku 'ikai toe kehe 'ae faiva 'akapulu mei ha toe faiva, 'o hange koe faiva ta'anga/faiva ko hono fakahu 'ae heliaki he ongo vaa'i'uhinga, hiva ko hono fakahu 'ae tu'akauta he ongo vaa'ita, haka ko hono fakahu 'ae hola, kaiha'asi pe haka-funga-haka he ongo vaa'ihaka, kae toki ma'u 'ae potupotutatau moe malie -- 'o hange tofu pe ko hono fakahu 'ehe sino 'ae pulu he ongo vaa'iva'inga kae toki ma'u 'ae potupotutatau moe malie!) -
Kataki e Faiako 'a Georgia 'oua teke hoha'a mo fakatupu 'ita na'a ke iku fua e hia 'a mamani. 'Ikale Tahi kiai.......