Toronto Wolfpack winger Liam Kay yesterday scored two early tries to help Ireland build a commanding 20-0 lead on its way to a 36-12 win over Italy at the Rugby League World Cup.
It was a morale-boosting victory for Ireland, who failed to win a match at the 2013 World Cup after making the quarterfinals in 2000 and 2008.
“The first 40 minutes are probably the proudest I have been of a team I have coached,” said Ireland mentor Mark Aston, who is also coach of Championship side Sheffield. “The last six years I have had with Ireland, that is our best performance without a doubt.”
Former Australia playmaker Terry Campese was ruled out of the match for Italy with a calf injury.
The 33-year-old Campese, now a part-time soccer player for Queanbeyan Blues in the Canberra competition, qualified to play because of his Italian grandfather.
In another match yesterday, Lebanon beat France 29-18 behind Mitchell Moses’ clutch seven points in three minutes.
With the score level at 18-18 with seven minutes remaining, Moses kicked a field goal. The Parramatta National Rugby League player then sealed the win with a try after a chip and chase.
In the final match of the opening round, star-studded Tonga showed they could prove the wrecking ball of this year’s World Cup with a 50-4 demolition of Scotland.
The Tongans, bolstered by the inclusions of National Rugby League powerhouses Jason Taumalolo and Andrew Fifita, ran in nine tries with former Australia Test center Michael Jennings nabbing a hat-trick.
Cohosts Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea all made winning starts.
After Australia beat England 18-4 on Friday in the opening match of the tournament in Melbourne, Papua New Guinea posted its largest-ever Test victory in beating Wales 50-6 in Port Moresby, while New Zealand defeated Samoa 38-8 in Auckland.
Also on Saturday, Fiji beat the US 58-12. Jarryd Hayne, who played a season with the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers, scored one of Fiji’s 11 tries.
Fiji team officials yesterday said that prop Kane Evans, who scored one of Fiji’s tries, sustained a suspected broken wrist and could be out for the remainder of the tournament.
Three teams from each of Group A (Australia, England, France and Lebanon) and Group B (New Zealand, Samoa, Scotland and Tonga) will advance to the quarter-finals along with the winning teams from Group C (Papua New Guinea, Ireland and Wales) and Group D (Fiji, the US and Italy).
Additional reporting by AFP
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