England v Georgia - Jason Robinson urges underdogs to seize chance at Twickenham

The Red Rose start their Autumn Nations Cup campaign at Twickenham this afternoon with plenty expecting them to comfortably cast aside the sport’s 12th ranked team.

However, as England look to build on their recent Six Nations success, former captain Robinson is intrigued to see how Georgia – long touted to potentially replace Italy in the Six Nations –tackle their unexpected chance.

“They have been knocking on the door for a long time now and it will be interesting to see how they go against England,” he told The Yorkshire Post.

“It’s probably not as exciting as the usual autumn internationals as normally you might have Australia, South Africa and New Zealand here.

“But there’s been talk for years now about the Six Nations and giving other countries an opportunity.

“Italy have come under a lot of pressure because they tend to be at the bottom of the tournament ladder every year.

“It’s important Georgia, and teams like them, get this opportunity to see where they are at and how they are going to contribute to this autumn.

“They are always known for being physical with a physical pack and are quite a tough team to face.

“They’ll be looking to prove something to all the rest of the teams in this Autumn Nations Cup and stick their hands up.

“It’s important they do show that they are competitive and it will be interesting to see how they then go up against Wales and Ireland.”

Robinson, meanwhile, hopes uncapped Wasps fly-half Jacob Umaga, 22, gets his own chance in the weeks ahead.

The Halifax-born player, son of Rotherham Titans legend Mike Umaga, is in Eddie Jones’s squad for the tournament but has not been selected today.

“I got smashed a few times by his dad,” joked Robinson, who – 16 years ago yesterday – became the first black captain of the England national side.

“It makes a difference when you can tap into the knowledge of him, someone who’s been there and seen it.

“His dad was always a handful and I always remember being out on the wing trying to stay away from him when Wigan played Halifax.

“It’s good to see it coming through the family. Jacob’s come on really well and is a young lad who plays with a lot of confidence.

“He looks really relaxed and has got a really good skill-set. It will be interesting to see if he does get that chance and how he takes it. You have to give him credit for how well he’s done so far being so young but he deserves it.

“It is different on the international stage but some people just thrive there and he looks like someone who doesn’t get too shaken by anything.

“It’s great to see him coming through and is certainly a player to watch over this period.”

Leeds-born Robinson rose to fame on the wing for England but modern day wideman Jonny May is wary of what today’s opponents could throw at them.

May said: “Georgia are a banana skin potentially. People are talking about tries and the weather not being so good, so can we throw the ball around?

“What you can expect the game to be like can be a trap. You need to go in there with a clear head and play the game for what it is.

“Georgia are talking about wanting to raise the bar and play the best game they’ve ever played.

“It’s a great opportunity for them to have a really good game, for themselves and for their country, and they’re going to be tricky opponents.

“As much as that’s the mindset, we have also got to be ready to work hard for our tries as well and see how we can develop.”

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