(Reuters) – Flankers Rob Valetini and Fraser McReight scored two tries apiece as Australia won a third straight match under new coach Joe Schmidt with a scrappy 40-29 victory over Georgia at Sydney Football Stadium on Saturday.
The loose forwards both crossed either side of the break and were joined on the scoresheet by centre Hunter Paisami and prop Isaac Kailea to give the Wallabies three successive wins for the first time since late 2021.
Australia played for 20 minutes with 14 men after winger Filipo Daugunu was shown a yellow card, later upgraded to a red, just before halftime for kneeing an opponent in the head while trying to block a kick.
Georgia threw caution to the wind with the extra man and drew to within two points of Australia at 26-24 early in the second half after scoring two tries but their challenge faded once they lost fullback Davit Niniashvili to a yellow card.
“The boys are very happy with that,” said Australia skipper Allan Alaalatoa.
“Our discipline didn’t help us and we had to roll our sleeves up, especially with Filipo out for 20 minutes of the game. I’m just very proud of the effort.”
Niniashvili had crossed in the 43rd minute and Aka Tabutsandze added the second five minutes later after a counterattack from behind the Georgian try-line, the right winger gathering his own kick to touch down after running 110 metres.
Valetini soon finished off a move featuring the whole Australia back row, however, and McReight scored his second try off a rolling maul to give Australia breathing room before Tabutsandze added another score with a clinical finish in the corner.
Lock Mikheil Babunashvili also crossed in the first half for the Georgians, who had arrived in Sydney looking for an upset after beating Japan last week.
Prop Alex Hodgman, who played four tests for the All Blacks in 2020, came on as a second half replacement to become the first player in the professional era to represent both New Zealand and Australia.
The Wallabies, who beat Wales twice in their other July tests, next face world champions South Africa in their Rugby Championship opener in Brisbane on Aug. 10.
(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney; Editing by Tom Hogue)
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