By Ian Chadband
Joey Manu scored a brilliant individual try and led New Zealand to a comfortable 34-12 win over Lebanon at the World Cup.
Lebanon had to play the final 20 minutes of Sunday’s clash (Monday AEDT) at Warrington with 12 men after Wests Tigers’ Adam Doueihi was sent off for abusing referee Grant Atkins.
Sydney Roosters star Manu was a class above as his aggressive running tormented the Cedars defence. He capped his performance with a chip and regather try.
It was a patchy performance from Michael Maguire’s team, but that was no surprise given the limited build up the Kiwis had leading into the tournament.
The goal will be for the team to build over the pool stage of the tournament, although the next two games, against Jamaica and Ireland, should not stretch them too much.
Nelson Asofa-Solomona brought his physicality to the Kiwis’ win.
Joey Manu is tackled by Mitchell Moses.Credit:Getty
While Lebanon had many players out of their depth at this level, there was still a sprinkling of NRL stars in the team, particularly in the halves where Mitchell Moses and Doueihi linked up.
But it was another NRL player who got the game off to a remarkable start for Lebanon, with the Cedars retaining the ball from the kick-off and scoring inside a minute through Josh Mansour.
In the fifth minute, Kenny Bromwich got the Kiwis on the board, stretching out for a try after the middle forwards marched up the field, with Lebanon unable to slow them.
As the half progressed, the Kiwis’ props continued to dominate, but a lot of the team’s play was sloppy.
Manu, who has been a revelation in a black and white jersey since Maguire switched him to fullback, made a stunning break up the middle, then flicked the ball inside for Dylan Brown to score.
Within a minute, Manu went from provider to finisher with his brilliant try. After Doueihi was sent off, Rapana bagged another for the Kiwis.
The last 20 minutes were nothing to write home about and Maguire looked frustrated from the coach’s box after more sloppy play from the Kiwis.
Maizen hat-trick caps upset win for Italy over Scotland
Jake Maizen, who plays in the Queensland Cup, made a name for himself by scoring the tournament’s first hat-trick in Italy’s shock win over Scotland at Newcastle in the UK.
Yet while the second-half treble for the Sunshine Coast Falcons flyer was the highlight for the Azzurri, it was NRL luminary Nathan Brown who pulled the strings in a dominant 28-4 upset win at Kingston Park on Sunday.
Jake Maizen goes over the line to seal a hat-trick in Newcastle.Credit:Getty
On his Italy debut, Maizen looked to have missed his chance for glory when he spilled a great opportunity to go over in the first half.
But he made up for it after the break with a treble that was sealed when he raced away from 80 metres out to score in the 77th minute.
Maizen was joined on the scoresheet by Falcons teammate Luke Polselli and 31-year-old Sydneysider Dean Parata, a London Broncos hooker.
It was Brown, though, who proved the dominant figure just two weeks after he featured in Parramatta’s NRL grand final loss.
Try-scorers Jake Maizen and Lachlan Walmsley after the game.Credit:Getty
“It’s a privilege to captain my country and a proud moment for Italian rugby league,” said Brown, who has Italian heritage on his mother’s side and played for the Azzurri alongside Australia’s captain James Tedesco at the last edition.
“We had a good preparation and all the boys believed we could do it. We said all week we wanted to play for our families, and for each other, and we did that.”
For the Scottish Bravehearts, though, it was a calamitous afternoon. They never got going and managed only one try from another Australian, Lachlan Walmsley, in the dying stages.
Quarter-finalists in 2013, Scotland went into the game as favourites but are now set for the wooden spoon following a lifeless display in front of a 6206 crowd.
And the really bad news? Nathan Graham’s side plays Australia in Coventry on Friday night.
Graham was able to call on six players from Super League and the Dolphins’ Euan Aitken but they were outplayed by a side that didn’t even have a warm-up match.
Scotland made it even harder for themselves when skipper Dale Ferguson was sin-binned four minutes before half-time for foul play, which helped Maizen go over for his first try in the 44th minute. He notched his second after a defensive blunder.
Keary stars for Ireland
Luke Keary was named man-of-the-match on his debut for Ireland as he moved one step closer to a knockout stage meeting with Australia.
The Sydney Roosters five-eighth set up one try and came close to grabbing one of his own as the Irish began their campaign with a dominant 48-2 win over Jamaica at Headingley in Leeds.
With New Zealand heavily fancied to top group C, Ireland face a Lebanon team spearheaded by Mitchell Moses and Adam Doueihi and will need to win to ensure a passage to the quarter-finals.
If they finish second in the group, Ireland would likely face Australia in the last eight.
“It was awesome just to put the jersey on, it’s been a special night,” Keary told the BBC. “We had some rust with the ball but it was exciting to share the field with Jamaica in their first game in the tournament.
Luke Keary taking on AJ Wallace and Jacob Ogden.Credit:Getty
“It steps up next week against Lebanon – we know they are going to be a tough task. They’ve got a class back line with Adam and Mitch, it’s a big test for us.”
Moses and Douiehi are not the only familiar faces to Keary, with Roosters’ assistant coaches Jake Friend and Matt King assisting former Wallabies coach Michael Cheika in the Lebanon camp.
Gold Coast prop Jaimin Jolliffe led the charge for the Irish on his debut, topping the count with 163 metres from 17 carries.
Two sets of brothers – Toby and George King, and Louis and Innes Senior – crossed for the Irish as they racked up 10 tries against World Cup rookies Jamaica.
“We’re a close group. We’re going to give it our best this tournament and it starts with Lebanon and then onto the Kiwis,” Keary said.
Huddersfield playmaker Kieran Rush scored Jamaica’s only two points kicking a penalty goal on the stroke of half-time, but drawing one of the biggest cheers of the day from the fans of the “Reggae Warriors”.
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NZ Stuff with AAP, PA
