Georgia have squeezed past Tonga 17-10 in a bruising encounter at Kingsholm in Pool C in the Rugby World Cup.

The match started tentatively and Kurt Morath and Merab Kvirikashvili traded penalties as both sides' discipline and handling let them down in the opening quarter.

Mamuka Gorgodze powered through the middle of a ruck and stretched over the line after some good forward play to give the Georgians the lead. Kvirikashvili converted before poor Tonga hands ruined two promising counter-attacks which would have got them back in the game.

Tonga turned down the chance to go for three points and opted to kick for the corner, but a tough forward pass call ruined the chance for Viliami Ma'afu to cross to bring the scores level.

The strong Georgian defence held firm after the break and missed the chance to extend the lead with a Kvirikashvili missed penalty. He made amends though after his break was recycled and flanker Giorgi Tkhilaishvili picked up the loose ball to flop over the line.

Kvirikashvili converted before Tonga fought their way back into the game, and they had another try disallowed for a poor grounding. The Tongans were not to be denied a third time though, as Fetu'u Vainikolo crossed in the corner with Morath adding the conversion.

Georgian full-back Kvirikashvili received a yellow card for giving away a penalty in the run-up to Vainikolo's try, but Tonga could not find a way through the 14 men in black shirts as the game ended in favour of the Europeans.