Joey Manu produced an outrageous try in his man-of-the-match display in New Zealand’s World Cup opening 34-12 win over a Lebanon side that saw Adam Doueihi sent off.
Meanwhile, Roosters star Luke Keary inspired Ireland to a 48-2 win over Jamaica and Italy beat Scotland 28-4.
Read on for the Rugby League World Cup Wrap.
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MANU’S OUTRAGEOUS DISPLAY FOR KIWIS AS LEBANON STAR SEES RED
Joseph Manu produced some magic to help set out New Zealand’s stall as Rugby League World Cup title contenders with a 34-12 victory over a Michael Cheika-coached Lebanon in Warrington on Sunday.
Lebanon have several Australian players of Lebanese heritage in their side and Cheika, whose parents emigrated to Sydney from Beirut before he was born, was happy to take on a coaching role despite limited time in the 13-a-side game — he has served some time as an assistant coach at Sydney Roosters.
Whilst he played junior level league, Cheika forged a career in union as a player and foremost a coach, leading the Wallabies to the Rugby Union World Cup final in 2015. He is currently employed as head coach of Argentina.
But it was not to be for the Lebanese despite winger Josh Mansour, who previously won seven caps for Australia, opening the scoring for the Cedars after just a minute’s play, pouncing on a ball after the deflection of a teasing Mitchell Moses grubber.
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Skipper Jesse Bromwich barrelled through and touched down over his head in quick response for the Kiwis, whose sole World Cup title came in 2008 at the expense of the all-conquering Australia.
New Zealand added first-half tries through Nelson Asofa-Solomona and Peta Hiku, with all three converted by Jordan Rapana.
But Lebanon came out firing in the second period, running through their sets with patience and eventually seeing Wigan winger Abbas Miski touch down one-handed in the corner.
Moses, fresh from a losing NRL Grand Final appearance with Parramatta Eels, was successful with the touchline conversion.
Rapana snuffed out a potential Lebanese try after a clever Mansour cross-kick and immediately the Kiwis countered, Manu accelerating into space up the field and finding Dylan Brown on his inside for a welcome try.
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Manu then turned the game on its head, the Sydney Roosters back gathering his own audacious chip from dummy-half, spinning past a first defender and fending off three more for a fantastic individual try.
It was an emphatic statement from Manu and proof he needs to be closer to the action for the Roosters.
Lebanon were served a further blow as playmaker Adam Doueihi was sent off for dissent just minutes later and from the reset the Kiwis made sure of the win when Rapana stepped back through some weak defence for his team’s sixth try after a looping Manu pass.
Earlier in the day, New Zealand’s Group C rivals Ireland ran out easy 48-2 winners over Jamaica, twins Louis and Innes Senior both dotting down, as well as brothers George and Toby King.
Brendan O’Hagan, James McDonnell, Ed Chamberlain, James Bentley and Frankie Halton also got over for Ireland as Kieran Rush claimed the Reggae Warriors’ first World Cup points.
In Group B, winger Jake Maizen scored a hat-trick to make up for an early fluff-up to help Italy to a 28-4 win over Scotland.
“I’m more stoked with the win, scoring tries is great but the result is what we are here for and I’m buzzing,” said Maizen, who has been used more as a centre by the Sunshine Coast Falcons at Queensland Cup level this year.
“It did rattle me a bit (dropping the ball), I’ll be honest. You’ve got to finish those ones in these big games but that’s football, you’ve got to brush those things off and if you are not 100 per cent then you are doing your team nothing.”
