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Wales Online
Wales Online
Sport
Mark Orders

The disastrous Wales player ratings on team's darkest day against Georgia

Wales suffered one of their biggest rugby humiliations as they crashed at home to Georgia in Cardiff on Saturday afteroon.

A 78th-minute penalty from Luke Matkava secured the eastern Europeans a 13-12 victory.

Wales can have no complaints. They were punchless in attack, missed too many tackles and saw their scrum smashed in the final quarter.

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Jac Morgan scored two tries, but there were not many other Welsh positives.

Mark Orders hands out the player ratings.

Louis Rees-Zammit 4

Not his best day, not by a long chalk. He kicked well but spilled a couple of high balls and the Georgians had him under lock and key when he tried to take the ball forward. Rees-Zammit can run like the wind, but it was the brilliant opposition full-back Davit Niniashvili who stole the show with ball in hand.

Alex Cuthbert 3

Closed down wide out early on but it was from a Cuthbert carry that Jac Morgan went over for his second try. While the Ospreys man looked for work, he missed a couple of tackles, never really threatened and a yellow card was a blot on his copybook. He's better than this.

George North 5

Georgia didn’t always seem up for tackling him, with North’s power running frequently denting the defence. He was stepped by the dangerous Niniashvili at one point, and missed three other tackles, contrasting with his rock-solid defensive show a week earlier.

Owen Watkin 4

Some decent defence, but it’s a huge understatement to say Wales’ attacking game needs shining up and Watkin found it hard to make a mark with ball in hand. A one-up run towards the end came to nothing and highlighted Wales' lack of invention. Needs to add some pep to his game.

Josh Adams 6

Brilliant try that never was as touchdown was denied for a forward pass, then helped Jac Morgan hold up a Georgian ball carrier. Also chased well enough and took high ball. Far from the worst, then.

Rhys Priestland 4

Kicked a lot, but Wales’ back division stubbornly refused to ignite and the fly-half didn’t sparkle. Was subbed with 20 minutes to play.

Tomos Williams 5

Electric a week earlier, but not too many sparks this time. Thought he had set up a try for Adams, but basketball-style pass was forward.

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Gareth Thomas 6

One immense scrum and stood up well in other areas, particularly in defence, where he stopped no end of Georgian ball-carriers.

Ken Owens 5

The odd dart went astray at the lineout, but the old warrior put in a shift in defence and did his best as a carrier. Couldn't spur a poor front five, though.

Dillon Lewis 5

Wales were on top in the scrums early doors with Lewis playing his part, although a lot of the damage was done on the other side. The tighthead made a bit of ground with ball in hand. His shift ended early, though, with the shepherd’s crook coming out on 45 minutes.

Ben Carter 4

A golden opportunity to make a statement, but gave away a penalty in minute one, then another followed soon after. On the plus side, Carter put in some decent tackling, but he couldn’t impose himself otherwise and conceded a third penalty.

Adam Beard 4

There was some good defence from Beard, but the big man will know there needs to be more. Wales needed go-forward and heavy duty physicality to subdue the Georgians. It didn't happen in the front five and Beard will hope for much better next time.

Jac Morgan 7

Two tries in the first 25 minutes, both expertly finished out wide by the flanker. Also showed his strength as he played key role in holding up Georgian ball carrier for turnover, while one tackle on Niniashvili came close to depositing the full-back into next week.

Justin Tipuric 6

Wales’ main lineout target and put in 14 tackles as Georgia poured forward after the break. Did well to hold up a Georgian maul at one point, but couldn’t turn tide.

Josh Macleod 6

A solid debut, with the Scarlet achieving a couple of turnovers and missing nothing in defence. Spilled one ball in second half and couldn’t make much headway as a carrier. Subbed on 52 minutes.

Replacements

Bradley Roberts 4

Contested ball at breakdown but part of a reserve front row that was sending out distress signals.

Rhodri Jones 3

Welsh setpiece was destroyed in final quarter.

Sam Wainwright 2

Gave away three points by not rolling away at maul, while the Welsh scrum imploded. Conceded three penalties all told. A shocker, then. Needs more exposure at club level before playing Test rugby.

Dafydd Jenkins 4

No opportunities with ball in hand, defended solidly enough. Will enjoy better days in Test rugby than this.

Taulupe Faletau 6

Not even the great man could fire Wales. One fine tackle and strong run down left wing, but also knock-on and error as he overran ball. Ten tackles in 29 minutes.

Sam Costelow 5

A couple of tenacious hits, no attacking sparks.

Leigh Halfpenny 6

Took one high ball with assurance. Likely to start at full-back against Australia.

Read more:

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