Michael Cheika lashes out over Rugby League World Cup controversy
Lebanon coach Michael Cheika has hit out at the standard of refereeing at the Rugby League World Cup, following a controversial incident that left one of his players in hospital.
Cheika's Lebanon look to have secured a quarter-final match-up against tournament favourites Australia, following his side's ill-tempered 32-14 win over Ireland.
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The Cedars are on the brink of a second consecutive quarter-final berth and can secure their passage with a win over minnows Jamaica next week.
However, the 18-point win came at somewhat of a cost the former Wallabies coach's side - who lost fullback Jacob Kiraz to a concussion, while prop Kayne Kalache was sent to hospital after a high shot from Ireland's Jaimin Jolliffe.
Kalache looked to be in bad shape after being hit in the face by the shoulder of Jolliffe - who inexplicably escaped a sin-binning from referee Adam Gee over the ugly high shot.
“He has made contact with the head with his shoulder, I think (Bunker referee) Ashley Klein could well have an input into the game again,” one commentator said on Fox League.
“I think he has got him square hasn’t he... for me he should leave the field as well shouldn’t he?”
No idea how the Ireland player didn’t at least get binned for high tackle that knocked the Lebanon player out
— Ahmad Daizli (@adaizli11) October 23, 2022
Multiple concussions from the 2nd round of #RLWC2021 games - Kallum Watkins (ENG), Jacob Kiraz & Kayne Kalache (both LEB) failing their HIA’s. All appeared to show category 1 symptoms of concussion, which would rule them out for at least 11 days under RLWC concussion protocols pic.twitter.com/S8BqJLlGG0
— NRL PHYSIO (@nrlphysio) October 24, 2022
Kalache of Lebanon, swinging arm to the chin. Led off the pitch by Physio. HIA (26)
— MIck Wyman (@mick_wyman) October 23, 2022
Kalache left the field to undergo an HIA, before being taken to hospital, and will now face a mandatory 11-day stint on the sidelines as part of the strict concussion protocols at the World Cup.
Cheika said he couldn't understand how his side saw lost star player Adam Doueihi to the sin bin for dissent during an earlier match, while a dangerous tackle that sidelined one of his players failed to result in a sin-binning.
“Kayne (Kalache) wasn’t flash if I’m honest,” Cheika said.
“I wasn’t happy with the whole thing. We had a player sent-off for supposedly saying something to the referee.
“(But a) bloke takes a shoulder fair and square to the head and nothing happens. Our player goes to hospital. Go figure.”
The Lebanon coach's frustrations centred on an incident in his side's first match that saw NRL star Doueihi sent to the sin bin and ultimately suspended for one match for dissent towards a referee.
Doueihi was alleged to have said: "Give us some f***ing calls” to referee Grant Atkins, during Lebanon's loss to New Zealand.
The Wests Tigers star's ban was upheld after a lengthy appeal, in which he denied saying “f**k me c**t”.
Doueihi insists he simply said: “f*** me, challenge” to captain Mitchell Moses during the incident against the Kiwis.
Lebanon too good for Ireland in spiteful match
Even without star playmaker Doueihi the Lebanese were a class above the Irish, frustrating their opponents with some tactics borrowed from the 15-a-side game, with five ball-steals stifling Ireland's first-half rhythm.
"Fair play to Lebanon, they'd done their homework and they saw something in us that maybe I missed in terms of the ball steals," Ireland coach Ged Corcoran said.
"I still believe in the people I've got in there and I go into Friday with the full belief that we can get a result."
The Lebanese were 20-0 up with just over half an hour gone with tries from veteran Reece Robinson, Canberra's Brad Morkos and Kiraz.
Ireland winger Louis Senior grabbed a try either side of halftime to cut the deficit to 10 points but Lebanon pulled away soon after with tries from Parramatta forward Elie El-Zakham and Wigan winger Abbas Miski.
Centre Ed Chamberlain pulled one back in the dying moments despite teammate Liam Byrne being sin-binned for a late hit.
All up, NRL referee Gee sent three players to the sin-bin, with Ireland prop Robbie Mulhern and Lebanon lock Jalal Bazzaz also given their marching orders after a fight broke out after the half-time siren.
Reporter Gary Carter tweeted: "Tempers flare between Lebanon and Ireland as the half-time hooter sounds, with players almost ending up in the stands!"
Elsewhere, Samoa bounced back from their 60-6 thrashing at the hands of England by beating Greece 72-4 in Doncaster on Sunday.
with AAP
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