Rugby League World Cup: ‘There’s a lot of animosity’ – Ireland and Lebanon face crucial Group C clash | Rugby League News

Ireland and Lebanon face off in a Group C match which is pivotal in terms of both teams’ hopes of reaching the knockout stages; Wolfhounds head coach Ged Corcoran played when the sides fought out a 16-16 draw in a bruising World Cup qualifier 15 years ago

Ireland head coach Ged Corcoran is ready for a tough encounter with Lebanon

Deja vu, history repeating – whatever you want to call it, Ged Corcoran is certainly feeling it as Ireland prepare for another all-important Rugby League World Cup showdown with Lebanon.

The former second row remembers well playing in the 2007 meeting between the sides in Dewsbury, where a 16-16 draw in a brutal encounter featuring high tackles aplenty – one of which landed Lebanon prop Charlie Nohra in the sin-bin – proved enough to qualify the Irish for the following year’s World Cup in Australia.

On Sunday, the Wolfhounds and the Cedars renew hostilities at Leigh Sports Village, where a win coupled with New Zealand beating Jamaica the day before would send Ireland into the knockout stages.

Lebanon, meanwhile, know another defeat would end their hopes of qualifying after they were beaten 34-18 by the Kiwis in the first round of Group C matches last Sunday and Irish head coach Corcoran is steeling his team for another fiery encounter.

“There’s a lot of animosity between us and Lebanon, even way back to when I played in 2007 in our qualifier when we pipped them at Dewsbury,” Corcoran told PA.

“There was a lot of bad blood before the game, a lot of bad blood in the game and then obviously it spilled over after the game.

“They’re desperate, it’s their Grand Final. They competed with New Zealand but they’re desperate to get to the quarters.”

Lebanon were beaten in their opening match against New Zealand

Whatever lingering animosity there is or is not between the two teams, Corcoran’s opposite number Michael Cheika is just looking forward to the challenge awaiting Lebanon after being pleased with what he saw from his team against New Zealand despite that loss.

If Lebanon were to make it through to the knock-out stages then the current Argentina rugby union head coach would face the prospect of having to combine his two roles on the same weekend, with the Cedars most likely to play in the Friday quarter-final in Huddersfield on November 4 and the Pumas facing England at Twickenham two days later.

However, for now he is not thinking beyond the must-win clash with Ireland.

“I think that is the great thing about being at the World Cup, I think for all intents and purpose it is a knockout competition,” Cheika told Fox League.

Michael Cheika was pleased with what he saw from Lebanon against New Zealand

“Having the opportunity to play against New Zealand in Round 1, I just feel like sets us up really nicely, when you talk about confidence from that game it is more about belief that you can do something against the No 1 ranked team.

“Ireland will present a huge challenge for us, they have obviously got some good players and I know everyone talks about Luke Keary, but there are some other players there.”

Like Cheika, whose parents emigrated to Australia from Lebanon in the 1950s, Sydney Roosters half-back Keary has seized the opportunity to represent his family heritage by opting to play for Ireland, having originally intended to do so at the last World Cup five years ago.

Injury robbed him of the opportunity to do that, but the 30-year-old made an immediate impact in his first game by earning the player of the match accolade as Ireland defeated Jamaica 48-2 in Leeds last Sunday.

Luke Keary was named player of the match in Ireland’s win over Jamaica

“It wasn’t to be in 2017 but it is something that has been coming for a long time and it means so much to me and my family,” Keary, whose Irish ancestry stems from his father’s side, said.

“I got a bit emotional when I finally got to see the jersey with my name on it. I’ve had some pretty special experiences, but it is one of the proudest moments of my career.”

Keary is one of five NRL players in the squad – six, if you include Huddersfield Giants-bound Harry Rushton – who have added to a team which already contained plenty of talent from the Betfred Super League.

Pre-tournament, Corcoran had set reaching the quarter-finals as a minimum target for Ireland and while he will not be satisfied solely with achieving that, he knows they first need to beat Lebanon to make that happen before facing world No 1 New Zealand in their final group game on October 28.

“We have to get to that quarter-final to keep exceeding our expectations,” Corcoran said. “I’m ecstatic with where we are on and off the field. It makes it a lot easier when you’ve got good people.”