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The Cedars players singing the national anthem ahead of their second group match against Tonga during the 2026 World Cup, on October 23, 2026, at CommBank Stadium in Sydney. (Credit: Mathew Georges / Photo published with the permission of the Lebanese Rugby League Federation (LRLF))
Add as preferred on Google Some 15,000 kilometers from Beirut, Australia has become a second home for Lebanon’s national rugby league team. Known as the Cedars, the team played its second group-stage match at the World Cup in Sydney last Friday before a crowd of 25,000, most of whom were cheering them on. But home support was not enough to prevent a 36-0 defeat by Tonga. The loss followed a 42-18 defeat by Papua New Guinea in the opening match a week earlier, leaving Michael Cheika’s side out of contention for the knockout stages. The league had reached that stage in both the 2017 and 2022 editions of the tournament.Although their hopes of progressing to the final stage are all but gone, the Cedars still have one last match to play, against France this Sunday. "We hope for the win, but we know this may be our last chance to represent Lebanon and play... You have reached your article limitStay informed about a Middle East in crisis.Subscribe for $0.5/month for the first 3 months. Subscribe now Log in This article is only available to L’Orient Today subscribers. Subscribe now Log in Create a free account to continue reading this article. You’ll also receive The Morning Brief, our must-read daily digest of Middle East news. Opt out anytime Email Address Password Email Address Password I would like to receive special offers from L'Orient Today as well as selections of the best articles. Register By creating an account, you agree to the terms and conditions of use and our privacy policy. Register Or register with: Facebook
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