Abbas Miski’s Golden Point Intercept Won It for Lebanon, 24-20 Over France, in Michael Cheika’s Last Game
Abbas Miski scored in the 85th minute to give Lebanon a 24-20 golden point win over France at CommBank Stadium on Sunday. He caught a chip from France fullback Arthur Mourgue and ran in the winner, nrl.com reported.
Neither side could reach the semi-finals, so it was the last World Cup game for both. It was also Michael Cheika’s last game as Lebanon coach before he goes back to the NSW Waratahs in Super Rugby, AAP reported.
Conti starts it
Alex Conti started and finished his own try four minutes in. France got their first points in the 29th minute, a penalty try to Amir Bourouh after the bunker ruled that Moustafa Dirani had knocked the ball loose with his foot as Bourouh put it down. Lebanon led 8-6 at half-time.
Michael Gabrael grounded a Conti grubber early in the second half for 14-6. Jordan Samrani then intercepted a Cesar Rouge pass but dropped the ball, and Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet picked it up and raced away to make it 14-12.
Tony Francis finished a second-phase move for 18-12, and Rouge scored in the 71st minute to tie it at 18-18.
| Team | Tries | Goals | Field goals | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lebanon: Alex Conti, Michael Gabrael, Tony Francis, Abbas Miski | 4 | 4 (Conti) | 0 | 24 |
| France: Amir Bourouh (penalty try), Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet, Cesar Rouge | 3 | 3 | 1 two-pointer (Mourgue) | 20 |
The last six minutes
Rouge was penalised for an escort and Conti kicked the goal for 20-18. In the 77th minute tempers went, and Lebanon captain Alex Twal and France prop Julian Bousquet were both sent to the sin bin.
France had repeat sets on the Lebanon line. Conti then took a long goal-line drop-out, which AAP called an error of judgement, and Mourgue had time to kick a two-point field goal from 40 metres. It was 20-20 at full-time.
Golden point
Rouge kicked a field goal early in golden point, and the French staff ran onto the field. Referee Liam Moore had not signalled full-time. After a video review Thomas Lacans was penalised for obstruction, and the score went back to 20-20.
Within two minutes Aispuro-Bichet was penalised for a shoulder charge about 50 metres out. Conti missed the shot. Mourgue fielded it and, instead of running it dead, chipped over the top. Miski caught it and ran away to score.
“It was the saddest I’ve been this whole tournament and then the happiest I’ve been this whole tournament,” Twal said, as reported by the ABC.
Conti and Cheika
Conti was player of the match, with his try, two try assists, two penalty goals and 114 run metres, according to nrl.com. AAP wrote that Cheika leaves the Cedars in good hands if the Canterbury playmaker keeps improving.
France had lost 78-4 to Samoa and 82-0 to England before this game and were much better here. Lebanon finish fifth of the six in the combined Pools B and C table and France sixth. The final standings and every result are on the World Cup table.
