Jounieh taught USJ a harsh lesson in fundamental rugby league basics on a wet and windy Saturday lunchtime in Bhamdoun, eventually running out convincing winners in what started out as a taut arm wrestle. Al-Galacticos had the edge over their plucky opponents in most departments, but decisively in one area: making crucial one-on-one tackles in wide areas. They did; USJ did not.

After a scoreless opening 32-minutes, in which both sides were tactically sound, pinning one another in their own halves on the back of a high completion percentage and good kick-chase game, Jounieh broke the stalemate when fullback Pierre Nasr sliced through USJ’s left-centre channel to score next to the uprights. Jounieh had launched an attack down their short left-side, drawing USJ’s scrambling defence, allowing halves Danny Chemaly and Jean-Paul Zakhour to link in midfield and feed the deadly Nasr.

Jounieh landed a heavy blow right on halftime, when front row Elie Khoury busted USJ’s right side this time before shrugging off fullback Christian Nadir and scoring under the black dot as the hooter sounded. The consequence of two defensive lapses in an otherwise impressive USJ Saints defensive stand was a 12-0 halftime deficit.

Wing Mario Eid scored Jounieh’s third on 48 minutes, followed three minutes later by a characteristically strong run by second row Ahmad El Masri, who scored a customary try in the right-hand corner – his third in as many weeks – through USJ’s visibly wilting defence. Incumbent Liban Espoir hooker Fadi Azzam scored the fifth and final try of the day, going over with 11 minutes remaining, and then landing his third successful kick to finish off the scoring and put Al-Galacticos in clear second position.