Yes, Georgia did make their debut at the Principality Stadium against the All Blacks in the 2015 World Cup, but that was a shot to nothing. Now they have arrived in the Welsh capital ready to make a big, bold statement about the rugby in their country.
Haig, however, doesn’t believe the experience they picked up playing New Zealand in Cardiff two years ago will count for anything on their return. Their mission is to further their claims for inclusion in the Six Nations, their challenge is to survive against a Welsh team backed by a passionate hoe crowd.
“The fact we are coming back to a place where we created some good memories at the 2015 World Cup is great. We were really pleased with our performance against the All Blacks in Cardiff two years ago and it means we can return with a bit of excitement having played so well there against the best team in the world,” said Haig.
“But there will be a big difference this time. We are playing against one of the most iconic teams in world rugby at one of the most iconic stadia – Wales at their own Principality Stadium.
“I was fortunate enough to spend a week with Wales in 2014 when they were preparing to play South Africa. As a visitor, sitting on the team bus coming into the ground for that game I have to say I‘ve never experienced anything quite like it.
“The passion shown by the home fans for their team was phenomenal. So it is going to be very different playing against Wales rather than the All Blacks, but I have to make sure the players still enjoy the experience.”
The Georgians arrived in fine fettle having seen off Kingsley Jones’ Canadians 54-22 in Tbilisi last weekend. There was a national record 34 points from full back Soso Matiashvili in only his fourth cap.
This time last year they went to Scotland to try to push their cause, but went down to a 43-16 defeat in Kilmarnock. Haig wasn’t happy with that performance and doesn’t want his players to freeze on the big stage this week.
“It is a strong squad, and the majority of them started back in 2012, but we also have a couple of younger, more inexperienced players. We are trying to build some young backs with footwork and speed and we are pleased with where we have got to,” said Haig.
“It is great having the Wales match in between two home games against Canada and the USA. It is going to be such a huge occasion for us in Cardiff, but we mustn’t forget that either side of it are two very important games.
“For us it is all about taking the next step. We have done really well and progressed massively in the past six years, not just on the pitch, but as a rugby organisation off it. We’ve some great young kids coming through our academy and age grade system, but we have to tip someone over.
“We know it is coming, we can all feel it, but we have to ensure we can put in a performance that last longer than 40 or 50 minutes. We know it is going to take a complete 80 minute performance to take the step we want to.
“We have worked very hard on our fitness base since 2015. That’s all about looking to stay in the game. We have been guilty of being like scared rabbits in the headlights in the past when we have found ourselves in a game for long periods against some big teams. It is going to take one complete performance from us on one big day to trip up a big team.”
Wales are no strangers to be ‘tipped up’ and turned over by so-called ‘emerging nations’. There was Romania in Bucharest in 1983 and back in Cardiff in 1988; Western Samoa, as they were then, in 1991, and again in 1999, both in the World Cup in Cardiff; Canada at the old Arms Park in 1993 and then Fiji in Nantes at the 2007 World Cup.
As banana skins go in world rugby these days, Georgia are about as slippery as they come. Haig has recruited two highly experienced Aussies to help him drive up standards in his squad. Brad Harries and Richard Graham have great CVs from clubs all around the world and their biggest goal is the 2019 World Cup.
Yes, that’s right, the same World Cup that Warren Gatland is targeting for a sensational swan song – starting with an opening pool victory over Georgia!
“When it comes to so-called ‘David v Goliath’ games we just point out to our players that their opponents only have two arms and two legs just like us. The key thing is to take your opportunities when they come along and be clinical,” said Haig.
“If we were able to knock over a top tier nation then it would add strength to the Georgian argument to be added to the Six Nations. If you are one of the partners in the Six Nations then you would be saying to a country like us, ‘show us what you can do.’
“Until we can do that, and take a major scalp, our claims are merely hot air. To that end, this game against Wales is no different to the one we had against Scotland last year – we want to legitimise ourselves by winning a game of this stature.
“I know we are knocking on the door, but at some stage we have to bang it open and walk through to announce ourselves. We were disappointed by our performance against Scotland. We don’t want to make the same mistake 12 months later.”
