Match Report

Balamand recovered from their mauling at the hands of LAU last week to register an important win against fellow play-off contenders Wolves RLFC. Riad Khoury’s hat-trick was the feature of a keenly contested match which put the northerners level on points with defending champions Jounieh in third place, although Al-Galacticos have a slightly superior for-and-against.
Three tries in rapid succession – one from rookie back row Gaiton Oussman and two from veteran fullback Khoury - around the hour mark proved decisive in stamping out a stubborn Wolves side’s resistance.
Neither team was at full strength, with the Wolves missing six players abroad, the Razorbacks six out injured, but the latter got off to the brighter start. Khoury opened his account early on before second row Jad Asmar scored a rare yet spectacular try, racing 70-metres to touch down.
But the competition’s new boys fought back when captain Jad Abinassif scored on 14 minutes and Nemer Saliba ten minutes later. With momentum having shifted the red-and-blacks piled on the pressure, with Balamand manfully resisting five repeat sets on their line to close out the first half.
The blue line did not break until Saliba scored again, in the 53rd minute, but it was to be the Wolves’ high watermark as Balamand cut loose.