Match Report

Last season’s semi-finalists USJ were knocked out of post-season contention following AUB’s comfortable victory on Saturday afternoon. In form AUB opened up a 22-4 interval lead before taking their foot off the pedal in the second period and allowing USJ to register three quick tries.
That sudden Saints' flurry of counter-punches served as a wake-up call to the Corniche-siders who were able to shift up a gear and score two more tries to close out the contest. They were aided by the sin-binning of USJ Hooker Roy Akel on 60 minutes and the superior goal-kicking of Sam Walsh, who slotted five from six attempts compared to USJ’s zero successful kicks.
All but assured of post-season footy, AUB will do well to heed the lesson that rugby league is an 80-minute game. They will switch off at their peril in the semi-finals – if they get there. That is not a certainty, however likely. For AUB to miss out the two teams locked on 11 competition points must win both their remaining matches. Jounieh has to beat LAU this weekend - something nobody has done in the regular season in what will be exactly two years this Sunday – and USJ in the final round, while Balamand plays easy-beats AUST and AUB themselves in what could be an all-important match. An LAU victory against Jounieh will ensure AUB makes the semi-finals for the second time in three years of the Bank of Beirut Rugby League Championship.
For USJ, the loss brings the curtain down on what has been a very poor season. After a promising opening round victory against Balamand they struggled, registering victories only against the AUST’s whipping boys and collapsing on numerous occasions.

Yellow Card Roy Akel (USJ)