Fiji vs Lebanon: International rugby league live scores, blog

Fiji vs Lebanon
2019 NRL Representative round, international Test
Venue: Leichhardt Oval, Sydney
Match time: Fulltime
Fiji		Lebanon
58	SCORE	14
10	Tries	3
9	Conversions	1
0	Penalty Goals	0
0	Field Goals	0

Fiji	Time	Lebanon
TRY - T.Kamikamica	7'
CON - B.Wakeham	8'
TRY - S.Vunivalu	16'
CON - B.Wakeham	17'
TRY - M.Sivo	18'
TRY - V.Kikau	23'
CON - B.Wakeham	24'
TRY - B.Wakeham	26'
CON - B.Wakeham	28'
TRY - S.Vunivalu	32'
CON - B.Wakeham	33'
	37'	TRY - M.Lichaa
TRY - M.Sivo	43'
CON - B.Wakeham	44'
	54'	TRY - A.Miski
	55'	CON - B.Maarbani
	63'	TRY - A.Miski
TRY - J.Lovodua	68'
CON - B.Wakeham	69'
TRY - J.Bukuya	74'
CON - B.Wakeham	75'
TRY - J.Bukuya	79'
CON - J.Roqica	80'

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International rugby league is back with the second game of the Leichhardt Oval triple-header between the Fiji Bati and the Lebanon Cedars! It’s always fantastic to see the passion with which these teams play, and with several NRL stars featuring for both sides, this should be a great contest. Join The Roar for live scores and a blog, starting from 5:40pm AEST.

The Bati are without their usual captain and fullback Kevin Naiqama, who has not been released to play by his club St Helens.

As such Marcelo Montoya will play fullback, while it is unclear who will skipper the side in Naiqama’s absence, although the logical choice appears to be Jayson Bukuya, who has played in three World Cups with Fiji. Eels prop Kane Evans is also absent through injury.

There is still plenty of first-grade experience in the Fiji side, with the likes of Montoya, Suliasi Vunivalu, Mikaele Ravalawa and Maika Sivo forming a star-studded backline, while Bukuya, Korbin Sims, and Tui Kamikamica will take the lead up front.

The x-factor is of course Penrith tearaway Viliame Kikau – rated by many as the most damaging back-rower in the NRL.

The Cedars are missing several top-liners, including Mitchell Moses, Josh Mansour, Adam Doueihi and Alex Twal.

However, they will still have NRL players Robbie Farah, Tim Mannah, Michael Lichaa and Abbas Miski, who will all bring plenty of experience to the side.

Unfortunately, the build-up to this game has not been without drama from the Lebanon side.

Skipper and halfback Farah has criticized the likes of Moses, Mansour, Doueihi and even Wests Tigers teammate Alex Twal for withdrawing from the match, as well as their clubs for putting pressure on them to do so, claiming that they would all be playing if there was NRL this weekend or if they had been picked for State of Origin.

There is also drama surrounding the legitimacy of the Lebanon Rugby League Federation (LRLF) board and the state of the game in Lebanon.

Currently, the situation is that the domestic competition has not been played since 2017, casting doubts over the national team’s place in the 2021 Rugby League World Cup (they qualified automatically after reaching the quarter finals of the 2017 edition).

As a result, the Cedars players were going to play with the LRLF logo taped out on their jerseys in order to raise awareness about the issues facing rugby league in Lebanon. Robbie Farah also appeared on NRL 360 in a Cedars polo with tape over the logo.

Fortunately, after a crisis meeting with RLIF CEO Nigel Wood, Farah and the other senior players agreed not to tape over the LRLF logo in exchange for the RLIF helping to facilitate changes to the situation in Lebanon.

Prediction
Fiji has plenty of NRL experience and strike power all over the field. This will make life very difficult for the Cedars, who are without more of their big stars than they are with.

Just by glancing over the team sheet this game seems to be Fiji’s to lose. However, while they have plenty of strike out wide and power in the middle, what they lack is experience in key positions. Fortunately for the Cedars, this is their biggest strength.

At 35, Robbie Farah is still one of the best hookers in the NRL, and whilst he has lost the speed which made him one of the best running dummy halves at his peak, his ability to control a game and execute a game plan has never been better.

With Michael Lichaa feeding him the ball from dummy half (Farah’s usual position) and with the experienced Reece Robinson lining up outside him at five eighth, these three could form a lethal playmaking combination capable of tiring out the big Fiji forwards and taking the lightning-quick Fiji backs out of the game.

In contrast, Fiji are completely bereft of a recognised playmaker. Fullback Marcelo Montoya is a centre/winger playing out of position.

The halves Siti Moceidreke and Brandon Wakeham have never played together before, and are both on international debut, leaving 21-year-old hooker Joe Lovodua as the most experienced member of the spine with five tests to his name (Montoya has played eight, but none at fullback).

This suggests to me that the Bati’s plan is to rely on the individual brilliance of the likes of Kikau and Vunivalu.

This could work, but there is also the potential for disaster if poor fifth-tackle options from the inexperienced halves and ill-discipline gift the Cedars good field-position.

I still think Fiji will win. But a Robbie Farah masterclass could potentially leave the Bati with their pants round their ankles.

Fiji by 10

Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match, starting from 5:40pm AEST.

Where: Leichhardt Oval, Sydney
When: 5:40pm AEST
TV: Fox League
Streaming: Kayo Sports

Fiji
1 Marcelo Montoya, 2 Suliasi Vunivalu, 3 Isaac Lumelume, 4 Mikaele Ravalawa, 5 Maika Sivo, 6 Siti Moceidreke, 7 Brandon Wakeham, 8 Tui Kamikamica, 9 Joe Lovodua, 10 Korbin Sims, 11 Viliame Kikau, 12 Taane Milne, 13 Jayson Bukuya. Interchange: 14 D’Rhys Miller, 15 Salesi Fainga’a, 16 Junior Roqica, 17 Penioni Tagituimua. Reserves: 18 Ratu Nanovo

Lebanon
1 Anthony Layoun, 2 Jayden El-Jalkh, 3 Bilal Maarbani, 4 Allan Lockwood, 5 Abbas Miski, 6 Reecce Robinson, 7 Robbie Farah (C), 8 Kayne Kalache, 9 Michael Lichaa, 10 Tim Mannah, 11 Ahmad Ellaz, 12 Elie El-Zakhem, 13 James Roumanos. Reserves: 14 Jacob Kiraz, 15 Jalal Bazzaz, 16 Toufic El Hajj, 17 Nick Kassis. Reserves: 18 Amer Ghazzaoui, 19 Georges Yazbek, 20 Michael Tom

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