The Cedars and the Reggae Warriors went into the first clash of the third Sunday of the 2021 World Cup with it all to play for as any of the three remaining sides in Group C could join New Zealand in the quarter finals and set up a game against Australia next Friday evening.

A win of any description for the favourites Lebanon would see them progress, but should Jamaica win by seven or more points then it would be Ireland who move forwards to next weekend. An almost unthinkable and unobtainable win of ninety-nine points or more for Jamaica and it would be they who jump from the bottom of the group, over Ireland, into second place.

The bookies gave the Jamaicans no chance as they handicapped Lebanon by forty-two points on the coupon, they were confident that it would be Lebanon who would be Australia´s opponents.

Short kick-off specialists Jamaica won the ball on their own kick-off and left Lebanon in no doubt that they were going to take the game to Lebanon. With just over a minute on the clock a cross-field kick from Kieran Rush was taken by Keenan Tomlinson who span over the line for what looked like the opening try of the game, but the video referee determined that the ball wasn´t grounded.

It was a fabulous start to the game from the Reggae Warriors as they forced a goal line drop out on three minutes and again went close on attack with Lebanon defending for their lives.

But on five minutes it was heartbreak for Jamaica as Lebanon scored on their first real use of the ball as Mitchell Moses broke through the defensive line before finding Michael Tannous in support to canter over under the sticks. Moses added the conversion for a 6-0 lead.

After giving away a penalty with a failed short kick off, Jamaica were on the defensive again and Abbas Miski waltzed in from twenty as the defensive line split. Moses was again on target, Lebanon well on their way to the quarter finals.

The next attack saw Lebanon in again, with just eleven minutes on the clock, a neat passing move ending up in the hands of Elie El-Zakhem to run in at half pace as the defenders gave up the chase. Moses was on target again for 18-0, it was looking like a cricket score was on the cards.

Lebanon were scoring on every attack Reece Robinson taking the pass after a jinking Khaled Rajeb break ripped the Jamaica defence apart. Moses hit the target again for 24-0 in sixteen minutes, Ireland packing their bags and heading for the airport.

On twenty-two minutes Adam Doueihi wriggled free of a tackle and found Rajeb in support to take the pass and go over from five metres, scoring under the sticks.

Four minutes later, Lebanon were in again with a Miski break and offload inside with Robinson then finding Charbel Tasipale to slide in. Moses again on target for 36-0.

Fast hands again from Lebanon brought up the forty with Josh Mansour taking a Doueihi pass to go in at the right-hand corner. Moses had a touchline conversion for the first time in the game but drilled it through the target.

A late hit from Jason Rahme saw the Lebanese player sin-binned for ten minutes but they weren´t able to take advantage in what remained of the first half, Lebanon taking a 42-0 lead into the sheds.

Four minutes after the restart and dummy and fend from Doueihi saw him run the angle and score from ten metres out. Doueihi took over the kicking duties, as Lebanon rested Moses, and couldn´t find the target, but the half century was now on the horizon.

Jamaica set the LSV alight on forty-nine when Mo Agoro dribbled forward, and picked up, a loose Lebanon pass to sprint sixty metres, outpacing the Lebanese chasers, and dive over the line. James Woodburn-Hall added the conversion to whoops from the neutrals in the crowd.

On fifty-four Lebanon got lucky to bring up the fifty, a pass hot a Jamaica player on the shoulder and spooned up into the hands of Taispale to drop over the line from close in. Doueihi added the conversion for 52-6.

Michael Lawrence was sin-binned on fifty-seven for a professional foul as he looked to slow the Lebanon attack. Three plays later and expansive play saw the ball into the hands of Tony Maroun who slid in by the left corner flag. Doueihi hit the target again from the touchline for 58-6.

Four minutes later Mansour picked up a spilled Jamaica pass and showed a clean pair of heels as he ran sixty metres to dive in. This time Doueihi was unable to add the extras.

The twelve men of Jamaica got a second try of the game on sixty-six minutes when a grubber kick was deflected and collected by Joel Farrell who fed Jordan Andrade to go over the line and ground. Woodburn-Hall was on target with the conversion for 12-62.

A diving Mansour completed his hat-trick on seventy, taking the pass and leaping over the Jamaican defender to ground one-handed. Doueihi floated his touchline conversion between the sticks.

The last action of the game was a final try for Lebanon, the best of the game. Doueihi followed his own chip and chase, hacking the ball forwards to be collected by Miski to evade the tacklers and score. Doueihi added the extras for a final score of 74-12 to the Cedars.

It will be Australia v. Lebanon next Friday night in the first of the quarter finals. Australia will be massive favourites for the win, but Lebanon will be hopeful of giving them a game after today´s demolition of Jamaica. The Reggae Warriors have entertained and made a lot of friends in their first World Cup, and they will come back stronger and better on their next opportunity.

Lebanon: Doueihi (T, 4G), Mansour (3T), Morkos, Robinson (T), Miski (2T), Rajeb (T), Moses (7G), Roumanos, Tannous (T), Rahme K, El-Zakhem (T), Taispale (2T), Kazzi. Subs: Layoun, Bazzaz, Rahme J (SB on 39), Maroun (T).

Jamaica: Jones-Bishop, Agoro (T), Young, Ogden, McDonald, Woodburn-Hall (2G), Rush, McKain, Coleman, Lawrence (SB on 57), Tomlinson, Farrell, Golding. Subs: Bailey, Andrade (T), Brown, Wallace.

Half-Time: 42-0.

Full-Time: 74-12.

Score Progression: 4-0, 6-0, 10-0, 12-0, 16-0, 18-0, 22-0, 24-0, 28-0, 30-0, 34-0, 36-0, 40-0, 42-0, (SB) : HT : 46-0, 46-4, 46-6, 50-6, 52-6, (SB), 56-6, 58-6, 62-6, 62-10, 62-12, 66-12, 68-12, 72-12, 74-12: FT.

Lead Exchanges: Lebanon.

Referee: Paki Parkinson.

Attendance: 5,006 at the Leigh Sports Village, Leigh.