Scotland stumbled to a second unconvincing Rugby World Cup win with a dour 15-6 win over Pool B opponents Georgia on Wednesday night.
It was never going to be a festival of running rugby and more one for the purists at the aptly named Rugby Park. With both teams struggling in wet and windy conditions in Invercargill it was a battle of the boots, with the Scot's fly half Dan Parks prevailing - landing 4 penalties and a drop goal to collect all of his team's points.
His opponent in the number 10 shirt, Merab Kvirikashvili, also kicked all the points for Georgia and the pivot, after slicing an early drop goal wide, put the Lelos into a 16th-minute lead with a monster penalty from 55 metres.
His team-mates were showing endeavour and a will to run to counter their renowned thrust up front, and were making head-way with a couple of neat darts down the blindside that caught Scotland unawares on both occasions and showed that the Eastern Europeans were a threat to their more established adversaries.
With 20 minutes gone, Scotland had their first chance to get on the board with Georgia not releasing in the tackle, but Parks hooked a poor effort at goal left of the posts.
The Australian-born pivot made amends moments later with a successful shot from right in front levelling the scores at 3-3.
Parks missed his second penalty of the night after referee George Clancy pinged Tedo Zibzibadze for being offside, and the missed opportunities were clearly spurring Georgia on to take control of the tie - showing evidence of skill out wide and a determination to run the ball at Scotland, with Number 8 Dimitri Basilaia unfortunate to put his chip kick over the defence out on the full.
Scotland too were attempting to move the ball and exploit any gaps in the defensive line, but Georgia's willingness to tackle, zeal for contact and competitiveness at the breakdown forced a number of handling errors and turnovers in their favour.
Another Scottish penalty, awarded for the Goliath - Mamuka Gorgodze - not rolling away at the breakdown provided another opportunity for Parks to put his team into the lead, which he gratefully took this time.
With half-time looming the Cardiff Blue took advantage of good field position awarded him by some dogged forward play to strike a drop goal sweetly through the posts and give Scotland a 9-3 lead heading into the interval.
Despite a mix-up where Parks hit a Kelly Brown instead of clearing for touch that almost cost his side points in the last play of the half, they trudged back to the dressing rooms at the break with a slender but welcome 6-point advantage over a Georgia side who had proved in the first 40 that they were not there to simply make up the numbers.
Scotland began the second half with purpose, looking to break away from their opponents on the scoreboard, who were hanging on determinedly like a terrier around your ankle.
Parks was now looking more assured in himself after some successful kicks at goal and attempted to turn the screw on Georgia with astute tactical kicking gaining his side momentum and territory.
But despite this, the Scots were being continually let down by their own skills, with poor hands stifling any continuity and pressure they tried to build - Graeme Morrison and Alasdair Strokosch being the main culprits in attack.
As the half wore on, the desperation of both sides added to deteriorating conditions made for an increasingly scrappy encounter with no real shape or tempo to keep the Invercargill crowd excited.
A rare piece of imaginative back-line play saw Parks dink a lovely kick over the onrushing Georgian defence for Max Evans to collect and scamper forward. From the next phase Parks tried to exploit the opposition's lack of width in defence with a cross-kick to Rory Lamont, but the full back already had a foot in touch and the chance was gone.
Lamont was back in the thick of the action soon after, scything through midfield with an inside ball from Morrison that dumbfounded Georgian defenders, and from the resultant ruck a penalty was awarded and Parks was on hand to trouble the scoreboard operators for the first time in the second period, 12-3 with 9 minutes left.
Georgia immediately struck back with a successful goal of their own which briefly put Scottish players, fans and head coach Andy Robinson and his beleaguered staff on tenterhooks, but a further Parks 3-pointer put the game beyond Georgian grasp and all reasonable doubt.
With two nervy victories against inferior opposition under their belt, Scotland now move on to prepare for the game with Argentina in 11 days time which will probably decide who goes through the group as runner-up, whilst Georgia have the daunting prospect of facing England on Sunday evening.
Star Man: Dan Parks (Scotland) - He may not be the greatest defender or play maker the world has seen, but is effective at putting his team in the right areas of the pitch and a solid boot always keeps the scores ticking over.
5-metre flop: Mamuka Gorgodze (Georgia) - With so much being made of the Monster from Montpellier prior to the game, the way he was bullied and out-muscled by Scotland's forwards was disappointing to watch.
