Lebanon could be the NRL’s next headache for the Nines World Cup with a lingering player dispute meaning the team could be pulled from the tournament.
Fresh from dealing with Tonga’s player boycott with the Rugby League International Federation (RLIF), the NRL still has the Cedars’ team to worry about.
Four months after a dispute with the Lebanon Rugby League board almost cruelled a mid-year Test, doubts still remain over whether the top-line players will make themselves available.
The NRL want Lebanon to play and were hopeful as recently as Monday night a point could be reached where stars including Michael Lichaa, Mitchell Moses and Josh Mansour could play, but that now appears unlikely.
But if they don’t and only locals are named, it’s believed the NRL and RLIF could even consider pulling Lebanon from the tournament to maintain a world-class standard.
It comes as Tonga at least temporarily remain uninvited to the Bankwest Stadium event on October 18 and 19.
The RLIF last week suspended Tonga’s membership and withdrew their invitation to the tournament, after up to 30 players threatened a boycott over anger at the board.
An interim board supported by the players was expected to be put in place, allowing the Mate Ma’a to be re-invited under their control.
However, that has been met with legal action by the former administrators.
Regardless, NRL CEO Todd Greenberg – whose organisation is running the 12-team Nines for the RLIF – said he expected their issue to be resolved.
“We’re obviously in deep discussions with the Tongan government, the RLIF are heavily engaged,” Greenberg said.
“But I think we have found a palatable solution for everyone that will allow the Nines to go ahead as planned and hopefully the Oceania Cup.
“I think Tonga are a massive chance of winning a World Cup trophy in the Nines.
“I want to see the best players playing in the Nines and I want to see the best Tongan players playing. And I think that’s where we will land.”
Lebanon’s dramas come after 17 players were banned following their mid-year Test against Fiji for attempting a protest against the country’s board.
Several of the players who represented them at the 2017 World Cup remain unhappy at the administration in Lebanon, and their re-election.
The ban included the likes of Moses, Mansour, Lichaa, Adam Douehi, Tim Mannah and Robbie Farah after threats to cover the Cedars’ logo.
That ban is still up in the air.
None of Lebanon’s NRL players turned out in a match against Fiji last weekend at Ringrose Park.
But Greenberg was confident the Cedars would play in the Nines.
“They will play, it just comes down to the players who make themselves available,” he said.
“It’s a good tournament to be a part of, there is good prize money to be had and I hope the Lebanon players want to play.”