Donaldson guides Wallabies to RWC victory over Georgia

Australia, on the back of 25 points from Ben Donaldson, has started their Rugby World Cup campaign with a 35-15 victory over Georgia on Sunday morning (AEST).

The Wallabies victory was expected with bookmakers pricing them accordingly, but their mixed form in the lead-up to the RWC in France had fans worried.

However Donaldson, in just his fourh Test appearance, played a crucial role, ensuring Australia embarked on their Pool C campaign with optimism. Although the 20-point gap might seem comfortable, the Wallabies had to fight harder than the scoreline indicates, with critics raising eyebrows about the team’s cohesion.

Eddie Jones raised eyebrows by placing Donaldson at fullback, a move that was met with skepticism. However, Donaldson rose to the occasion, delivering a “man of the match” performance.

“We’ve been building for a long time now and the boys executed really well for the full 80 minutes,” he said.

“In the end, it made me look half-decent, so I credit all the boys.”

His fellow teammate, Angus Bell, was all praises, dubbing Donaldson as a “freak”.

“He did his bit today and got two tries, he was unreal. Hats off to him,” Bell said.

However, Wallabies legend, Mat Rogers, expressed reservations about the overall team performance, despite acknowledging Donaldson’s stellar show. He opined, “He stood up on the biggest stage. It’s going to get tougher, and we’re going to need him to improve.”

The Aussies faced challenging moments, notably when Georgia scored despite having only 14 men and missed a potential score due to Davit Niniashvil’s oversight. Donaldson, however, responded promptly, adding another score and widening the margin.

“I thought the second half was quite poor from Australia. Georgia were dominating. We were lucky they didn’t score more,” Rogers said.

Jones reintroduced Marika Korobeite and Samu Kerevi post-injury. Their presence was felt early on as Jordan Petaia netted the first score within two minutes, thrilling the 75,000-strong crowd in Paris.

As the match progressed, Donaldson showcased his skill, compensating for earlier mistakes, and ensuring Australia’s lead. Yet, challenges loomed. Tate McDermott’s concussion saw the entry of Nic White, and Georgia’s aggression in the second half marked their dominance.

Georgia’s resilience was commendable, yet Donaldson’s converted try, followed by another score, solidified Australia’s lead. As the game wrapped up, the young star was crowned man of the match, while Georgia managed a consolation try by Beka Gigashvili.

The Wallabies campaign will ramp up against Fiji in the early hours of Monday, September 18, at Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium in Saint-Étienne. Rugby betting sites are yet to launch odds for the Wallabies v Fiji clash, with the Fijians yet to play their opening round clash against Wales.

The Wallabies are priced at $13 with online bookmakers to win the World Cup, with France, following their upset win against New Zealand, the outright favourites at $3.75.