Lebanon’s Robbie Farah has already sent England a warning ahead of their World Cup showdown on Saturday.
The Lebanon captain insists his team are flying high after beating France but knows England will be a big test.
“I guess we’re still on a high after last week,” Farah said at the captain’s run. “We’ve carried that through our week of training. It’s been a good week of preparation.
“It’s a great challenge for us, a lot of these boys have probably never played against the calibre of the players the English have got.”
ENGLAND VS LEBANON LIVE UPDATES
(Kick off at 9am UK time)
England 22 Lebanon 6 – 33 mins
TRY! The floodgates are opening here. Hodgson runs at the Lebanon defence from dummy half 10 metres out, two defenders commit themselves and he drops off a pass for Ben Currie to dive over.
That’s his first try for England in his second Test appearance.
Widdop adds the extras and Lebanon are barely touching the ball now. The signs are good – this could and should be a rout.
England 16 Lebanon 6 – 28 mins
TRY! That penalty has cost Lebanon as England storm back. McGillvary went over on the right wing minutes earlier and now it’s Ryan Hall’s turn to go over on the left.
But wait, it’s sent to the TMO – and Hall could have dropped it as he grounded it.w
Video ref Phil Bentham is having a good look at it but it’s given, much to the annoyance of some angry Lebanese fans in the stadium.
“Ryan Hall’s 33rd try in 34 appearances but one of his most controversial. Appeared to lose it,” says Julie Stot.
Robbie Farah, one ot Lebanon’s star men who play in the NRL, agree and he isn’t happy. He confronts the referee – but there’s no giving. Widdop puts a tricky conversion wide.
England 12 Lebanon 6 – 25 mins
TRY! England back ahead – and it’s that man Jermaine McGillvary.
Again they get the ball out wide quickly, Lebanon look to have
McGillvary well-covered out wide but he steps back inside, leaves two defenders rooted to the spot, and runs in under the posts.
Lebanon then give away a penalty to hand England good field position from the restart. Better from Wayne Bennett’s men.
England 6 Lebanon 6 – 18 mins
TRY! Oh dear, oh dear. Lebanon haven’t read the script.
Two ill-disciplined penalties have invited Lebanon into the England half – and they are no mugs and show that by completing a couple of sets. The latest takes them to 15 metres out and a grubber behind the England defence.
Gareth Widdop should gather it but, as Julie has mentioned, it’s slippy out there and the butter fingers take over.
He drops the ball into his own goal area and Nick Kassis us quickest to react. We’re level in Sydney.
England 6 Lebanon 0 – 16 mins
Latest from our reporter Julie Stott in Sydney, who is being drowned out by Lebanese supporters – and the rain.
“Lebanese fans loving cheering everything from their team and jeering England. They’re well up for this,” she tells us.
And, if you want a quick stat, that’s the 10th Test try in 22 Tests for Kallum Watkins.
England 6 Lebanon 0 – 10 mins
TRY! It was coming, it was coming. England make the pressure count after stringing together four sets in a row.
They charge forward again, spin the ball out wide quickly and Kallum Watkins is in the clear.
He’s got Jermaine McGillvary on his right shoulder but he dives over himself out wide. Widdop then adds the extras with a tough kick. The perfect start.
England 0 Lebanon 0 – 8 mins
It’s all England. Three sets in a row and they’re camped on the Lebanon line.
Widdop puts a kick on from the last of them and they trap a Lebanese player in goal.
So it’s set number four… can they make the pressure count?
England 0 Lebanon 0 – 3 mins
Good openieng set from England, who go from their own line to the other end of the pitch. Plenty of big carries from Wayne Bennett’s men.
Kick goes in and it’s snubbed out. Still, promiising signs the way they marauded forward with such ease.
From the stadium
Julie Stott is live in Sydney tonight for us – stay dry, Julie!
“Distinct lack of promotion in Sydney for today’s England v Lebanon game. Result? Very poor crowd. Disappointing.
“England need to make a big statement against Lebanon after defeat against Australia. It’s raining so they’ll feel at home.”
Seconds away…
The players are out, the anthems are being sung and we’re moments away from kick-off.
England are belting out God Save Our Queen and the teams are just huddling together before the off.
No dodgy pre-match war cries this week (sorry Australia).
Jermaine McGillvary
Huddersfield Giants star Jermaine McGillvary ahead of kick off: “It was a very tough game. Australia are not the best in the word for no reason. We defended out line really well though but there was a lot of silly things in there we need to correct.
“I didn’t watch the game, I don’t know a lot (about Lebanon). They beat France and they did well in stages against Australia. I’m expecting a tough game.
“The weather is in England so it’ll be played down the middle a lot.”
Live from Sydney
Our reporter Julie Stott in Sydney: “Good humoured booing from Lebanon fans as England players go in after warm up.”
Welcome
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of England v Lebanon.
England lost their first outing of the Rugby League World Cup to Australia last weekend.
They’ll be hoping for a reaction here against a Lebanon side made up of plenty of Aussie grit.
Lebanon beat France in their first game of the tournament so are actually above England in Group A.
Fairly sure Wayne Bennett wants that to change.