SAINT-DENIS – Full-back Ben Donaldson scored 25 points as Australia put a run of five successive defeats behind them to open their Pool C campaign with a bonus-point victory over Georgia at Stade de France.
Early tries for centre Jordan Petaia and wing Mark Nawaqanitawase and three Donaldson penalties made it 21-3 before the Wallabies lost scrum-half Tate McDermott to a head injury.
Georgia had wing Miriani Modebadze sin-binned just before half-time but scored in his absence as Luka Matkava’s lovely cut-out pass put flanker Luka Ivanishvili over in the left corner.
But as Los Lelos threatened again, Taniela Tupou intercepted Davit Niniashvili’s offload to send Donaldson sprinting clear and the full-back secured the bonus point with his second try from Carter Gordon’s pass before Georgia claimed a late score via Beka Gigashvili to the delight of the 75,770 crowd.
Georgia, who wasted several chances, “have a lot of things to analyse” according to head coach Levan Maisashvili.
“For me, it was just providing a loud voice and and a big boot at the back there. In the end, it made me look half-decent so I put that on all the boys” Mastercard Player of the Match Donaldson said of his performance
“Hopefully this is just the start and we can roll on and get some momentum,” Australia captain Will Skelton said of potentially tougher challenges ahead in a group containing Wales and Fiji