Cleary coaching Lebanon

[adamkungl]

You would think Lebanon will finish the comp winless - but France have a tendency to disappoint. And if NZ get a single injury they might flop back to Scotland level...

 

[New Division]

Lebanon and Italy are going to be the easiest of targets for the usual anti RL crowd out there.. It's fair enough too. It's pretty embarrassing really.

There needs to be some local competition players in these teams. At least 2-3 in the match day 17. It's the only way you can salvage some legitimacy IMO.

Samoa, Tonga and Fiji will have all Australian based players in their team too. I don't see anyone having a go at them.

 

[New Division]

Lebanon won't have enough NRL players to seriously trouble France.

Possible present and past NRL players in the Lebanese WC team:

FB: Reece Robinson (returning from RU)
CE: Josh Mansour, Travis Robinson
PR: Tim Mannah
HK: Robbie Farah


Probable Super League French players in the France WC team:

FB: Morgan Escare (Wigan)

WG: Fouad Yaha (Catalans)
CE: Vincent Duport (Catalans), Benjamin Jullien (Warrington)

FE: Lucas Albert (Catalans)
HB: Theo Fages (St Helens)

LF: Jason Baitieri (Catalans)
SR: Benjamin Garcia (Catalans), Antoni Maria (Leigh), Mickael Simon (Catalans), Kevin Larroyer (Castleford/Bradford),
PR: Remi Casty (Catalans) Julien Bousquet (Catalans), Romain Navarette (Wigan), Gadwin Springer (Castleford)
HK: Eloi Pelissier (Leigh), Alrix da Costa (Catalans)

France will have a far superior pack and pair of halves.

Also Mitchell Moses and Michael Lichaa. There are also plenty playing reserve grade which isn't much of a lower standard than super league.

 

[Force]

How can you make weaker countries have to field players from weaker competitions be benificial for international competition ???? Any good players will be pick up by strong clubs like nrl and sl . So poor countries will have to pick at least 3 shit players????

I agree, asking teams like Lebanon to field domestic players against the might of Australia or New Zealand isnt the best idea. Its like telling Australia to field domestic players from the local Perth comp and expecting them to be up to standard with the professional players. I have no problem with heritage players/teams when it comes to the proper World Cup cos I'd much rather see more competitive teams and scorelines than Cricket scores. In saying that, I would prefer for the domestic quota to be enforced at an Emerging Nations or Development World Cup in fear of heritage teams putting Cricket scores on developing teams.

 

[hutch]

I agree, asking teams like Lebanon to field domestic players against the might of Australia or New Zealand isnt the best idea. Its like telling Australia to field domestic players from the local Perth comp and expecting them to be up to standard with the professional players. I have no problem with heritage players/teams when it comes to the proper World Cup cos I'd much rather see more competitive teams and scorelines than Cricket scores. In saying that, I would prefer for the domestic quota to be enforced at an Emerging Nations or Development World Cup in fear of heritage teams putting Cricket scores on developing teams.

I agree with this, we don't want cricket scores. At the very minimum though, it would be great if squads had at least 1 or 2 domestic players.

More importantly though, each squad should have representation from the actual county itself off the field. What makes a 100% Aussie Italian team worse is nobody from Italy in the admin, coaching staff, rehab, marketing etc.

 

[ouwet]

Lebanon will lift for the games with the support they'll get... France are no chance, Lebanon will do them by 20+

Lebanon will have more supporters against Australia in Sydney!

Mitchell Moses, Robbie Farah, Tim Mannah, Michael Lichaa along with a flood of NSW Cup standard players (Which is better then most Super League clubs) will be enough.

 

[adamkungl]

Lebanon will lift for the games with the support they'll get... France are no chance, Lebanon will do them by 20+

Lebanon will have more supporters against Australia in Sydney!

Mitchell Moses, Robbie Farah, Tim Mannah, Michael Lichaa along with a flood of NSW Cup standard players (Which is better then most Super League clubs) will be enough.

lol

 

[roughyedspud]

Lebanon will lift for the games with the support they'll get... France are no chance, Lebanon will do them by 20+

Lebanon will have more supporters against Australia in Sydney!

Mitchell Moses, Robbie Farah, Tim Mannah, Michael Lichaa along with a flood of NSW Cup standard players (Which is better then most Super League clubs) will be enough.

The team that's bottom of super league battered brisbane...

 

[PaulyTom]

Frenchman Theo fages has the lebanese team covered

 

[Jim from Oz]

Whoever wins that Lebanon v France match will pretty much automatically qualify for RLWC 2021 … that should add some extra spice!

 

[thorson1987]

Lebanon's best chance will be against France. They've beaten them before in the Mediterranean Cup but that was over a decade ago. Australia/NZ will smash them easily.

Yes. France 2017 should win. Lebanon have no chance against Australia or New Zealand though. From memory in the 2000 World Cup NZ beat them 64-0. Their best was a draw against the Cook Islands.

Good thing they don't play New Zealand I guess.

 

[PaulyTom]

Will Cleary coach west tigers and Lebanon ? Or ditch Lebanon?

 

[adamkungl]

Really hope France have a dig this time round. I reckon they'd be embarrassed to get done by Lebanon and not at least have a respectable game against Aus and England

 

[___]

Will Cleary coach west tigers and Lebanon ? Or ditch Lebanon?

Considering he only signed 2 months ago, I think he'll stay on. It's not a big job to coach an international country like Lebanon. I reckon anyone can do it.

 

[davi]

Considering he only signed 2 months ago, I think he'll stay on. It's not a big job to coach an international country like Lebanon. I reckon anyone can do it.

Ivan Cleary has quit the job, and won't be coaching Lebanon at the World Cup. I assume he feels he has too much on his plate at the moment in trying to turn around the Tigers.

 

[adamkungl]

Long odds for the Cedars to win a game now.

Any likely coaching candidates?

 

[paulmac]

Long odds for the Cedars to win a game now.

Any likely coaching candidates?

Probably Darren Maroon.Has played at the top level for the Cedars & is currently coaching Auburn.

 

[thorson1987]

Wobbie captain-coach.