GEORGIA will field the same XV against Wales at Principality Stadium that overpowered Canada 54-22 last week, writes Chris Kirwan.
Coach Milton Haig has plumped for the same side that ran in six tries when thrashing the Canucks in Tbilisi.
The Lelos’ starting pack features five players that ply their trade in France and two professionals in England.
Loosehead Mikheil Nariashvili and tighthead Levan Chilachava play for Top 14 big guns Montpellier and Toulon respectively, lock Kote Mikautadze is also on the books of Montpellier while his second row partner Giorgi Nemsadze is at Bristol.
Blindside Lasha Lomidze plays for London Irish while his back row partners Vito Kolelishvili and Beka Bitsadze play for Clermont Auvergne and Narbonne.
Hooker Jaba Bregvadze is the only starting forward to not play in one of Europe’s premier leagues, instead turning out for Krasny Yar in Russia.
“They breed them big over there! We know it is going to be a physical battle, and I know there is nervous energy among the boys already,” said Wales captain Dan Lydiate.
“They will be really excited to go up against them, and if you do well against a big Georgian pack, it will hold you in good stead for the future.”
Dragons supporters will be familiar with livewire scrum-half Vasil Lobzhanidze, who played in both games against the Rodney Parade region for Brive in last season’s European Challenge Cup.
Prop Soso Bekoshvili, who scored a brace in the clash in France in January, is among the replacements.
Enisei-STM’s David Katcharava, who played against the Dragons in Moscow last month and in Krasnodar last year, is a starter in midfield.
Soso Matiashvili, scorer of the wonder try against Canada that went viral, starts at full-back.
Georgia are ranked 12th in the world rankings, a place above Italy, and have been drawn in Wales’ group for Japan 2019.
Georgia: S Matiashvili, G Koshadze, D Katcharava, M Sharikadze (captain), M Modebadze, L Khmaladze, V Lobzhanidze, M Nariashvili, J Bregvadze, L Chilachava, K Mikautadze, G Nemsadze, L Lomidze, V Kolelishvili, B Bitsadze. Replacements: S Mamukashvili, K Asieshvili, S Bekoshvili, G Chkhaidza, G Tkhilaishvili, G Begadze, R Jintchvelashvili, M Kvirikashvili.
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