A Pierre Nasr hat-trick spearheaded Club Libanais's maiden victory over LAU, with the defending premiers dropping a second successive match to register their poorest start to a season since the 2002 Winter Championship, when they lost their opening three games. Club Libanais, crushed 82-0 by LAU last season, dominated territorially but failed to finish off their opponents, despite having the chances, bombing three tries – one when prop Ahmad El Masri ruined his fine, defence splitting run by inexcusably stepping over the dead ball line as he tried to improve the position.

CL, who led early against Balamand in last Friday's season opener, twice surrendered the lead to the Immortals, but this week showed the patience and desire to regain control and end up handy winners, thanks to Nasr's final try as time expired.

LAU were missing suspended duo Bassel Nasrallah and Mohammed Jamil, and were without Nayef Abi Said and the injured George Rahal, while a full strength Al-Galacticos could afford to make six tactical changes to their starting line-up, including a completely new front row. One of those changes paid early dividends as centre Wissam Chami opened the scoring after seven minutes courtesy of a smart cut-out ball from stand-off Roy Abla. LAU resolutely withstood further pressure on their line, clearing their red zone with long kicks, patiently waiting for an opportunity to attack. That opportunity arrived when wing Khalil Hijal fumbled Jawad Fakih's fifth tackle chip-and-chase deep inside his own half. On the ensuing set prop Saad Sabra went over, with Fakih converting to give LAU a 6-4 lead.

But, led by impressive second row Ghassan Dandash, moved inside from the centres to telling effect, and the slick creative triangle of Abla, Nasr and halfback Danny Chemaly, CL patiently built up its time in possession until Nasr went over on 32 minutes. A second try in quick succession was cancelled out as Abla's scoring ball to wing Gaby Haddad was ruled forward. Nasr struck once more in the 40^th minute, streaking away through LAU's centre channel from 30-metres out to score untouched under the posts. Centre Rany Chahoud's second conversion made it 16-6 at halftime.

The Immortals, fresh from their emotional Round 1 loss to AUB, fought back strongly in the second period, and two tries in three minutes had CL rocking. First, a series of penalties ended with the first ever penalty try in Lebanese rugby league history as LAU relentlessly hammered CL's goal line. Then came an LAU special. Fakih supported Rudy Hachache, took the big utility's pass and tore around the outside, beating the flailing cover to score under the posts. Ahmed Hammoud's goal made it 18-16 to the Immortals. But back came Al-Galacticos once again, with a vastly more effective forward pack compared to the lacklustre display against Balamand, personified by lock Youssef El Helou, largely anonymous last week but back to something like his best form today. El Helou scored in the 65^th minute to give CL a lead they would not surrender. The lead could have been extended but El Masri was adjudged to have held back a chaser as Nasr gathered Abla's bomb and went over for what looked like to be a good score. Hard working second row Nabil Dora then scored a rare try three minutes later, following some expansive play from Chemaly and Abla, then Nasr put the icing on the cake as time expired.

In the day's first match, debutants Universite de Saint-Jospeh got their rugby league lives off the mark, going down 46-4 to an AUB side fielding nine new players, but showing a lot of character and promise.