Lebanon to be led by former Australia hooker Robbie Farah at the World Cup
Thursday 12 October 2017 11:28, UK
Former Australia hooker Robbie Farah will captain Lebanon, pool opponents of England, at the World Cup starting later this month in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.
Lebanon became the 14th and final country to name their squad ahead of Thursday night's deadline, with coach Brad Fittler, the former Kangaroos and New South Wales icon, including eight players with NRL experience and one representative, Raymond Sabat, from the domestic league.
Lebanon will play a warm-up match against Niue at Leichhardt Oval on Saturday ahead of their opening game against France in Canberra on October 29. The game against England is in Sydney on November 4 with favourites Australia the other country making up Pool A.
Parramatta Eels playmaker Mitchell Moses has been named vice-captain to South Sydney front-rower Farah for the Cedars' first Rugby League World Cup appearance since 2000.
Farah, 33, played eight times for Australia from 2009 to 2014, including the 2013 World Cup.
Former Eels, Raiders and Broncos full-back Reece Robinson will make his return to rugby league after spending the last two seasons with the Waratahs in union's Super Rugby competition.
Parramatta skipper Tim Mannah, Bulldogs hooker Michael Lichaa, Wests Tigers prop Alex Twal, Ray Moujalli and Travis Robinson are the other Lebanon representatives with NRL experience while Sabat plays for Lycans FC in the country's domestic league.
"It was tough selecting a final squad," Fittler said. "I think one of the hardest but most gratifying things is watching how disappointed some players were for not making it.
"If the love of this game is any guide to how we will play, then we will be very competitive in this tournament.
"The fact is that only half a dozen of our squad are full-time professionals, so we need to make every opportunity count."
Lebanon squad: Robbie Farah (South Sydney - captain), Mitchell Moses (Parramatta Eels - vice-captain), Danny Barakat (Wentworthville), Jamie Clark (Auburn Warriors), Adam Doueihi (South Sydney), James Elias (West Newcastle), Ahmad Ellaz (Auburn Warriors), Nick Kassis (Blacktown Workers), Andrew Kazzi (Wests Tigers), Anthony Layoun (Parramatta Eels), Michael Lichaa (Bulldogs), Mitchell Mamary (Wentworthville), Bilal Maarbani (Manly Sea Eagles), Abbas Miski (North Sydney), Tim Mannah (Parramatta Eels), Ray Moujalli (Bulldogs), Reece Robinson (unattached), Travis Robinson (Newtown), Chris Saab (Blacktown Workers), Raymond Sabat (Lycans FC), Jaleel Seve-Derbas (Wests Tigers), Elias Sukkar (Wentworthville), Alex Twal (Wests Tigers), Jason Wehbe (unattached).
