Manu a spine thriller

Rooster sparks debate

JOEY Manu ran rings around Lebanon but the real headache will be Trent Robinson’s selection dilemma, as the New Zealand fullback rubber-stamped his credentials as a playmaker.

With the No.1 on his back, Manu took Monday morning’s 34-12 win against the Cedars by the scruff of the neck, setting up a try for Dylan Brown and scoring a brilliant individual chip-and-chase try to put Michael Cheika’s side to the sword in the second half.

While Manu won’t be usurping James Tedesco from fullback at the Roosters any time soon, there is no doubt the 26-year-old centre needs to be closer to the action in the spine after also starring for the Roosters in his appearances as a five-eighth.

Manu’s ability to create opportunities by using his power to take the ball deep into the defensive line puts the outside back squarely in the conversation about a switch into the halves for the Roosters.

Manu delivered a man-ofthe-match performance, finishing with 202m, 12 tackle busts, three offloads, two line assists and three try assists.

In the end, Cheika’s troops were simply outclassed by New Zealand’s star-studded side. But the Cedars did not lose any admirers, putting in a gallant performance and refusing to throw in the towel.

“We have the passion, but that’s not enough sometimes. We need to be able to deliver consistency,” Cheika said

Parramatta’s halves allegiance was split at Halliwell Jones Stadium, with halfback Mitchell Moses in the red of Lebanon and Dylan Brown in the black of New Zealand. But it was Wests Tigers fans that potentially got a glimpse of what a halves pairing between Adam Doueihi and Moses would look like as they guided the Cedars around the park.

Moses was a late arrival into Cedars camp, meaning the duo had limited time to hone their World Cup combination, but they looked comfortable alongside each other.

The kicking game of both helped keep Lebanon in the game, with Doueihi’s 40-20 to start the second half laying a platform for winger Abbas Miski to hit back with a try.

Moses has played down rumours the Tigers are interested in bringing him back to Concord, but after missing out on Cameron Munster, the club does have the cash to splash.

Earlier in the day, New Zealand’s Group C rivals Ireland ran out easy 48-2 winners over Jamaica, twins Louis and Innes Senior both dotting down, as well as brothers George and Toby King.

Ireland and Sydney Roosters five-eighth Luke Keary starred as Brendan O’Hagan, James McDonnell, Ed Chamberlain, James Bentley and Frankie Halton also scored in the 10-try win.

In Group B, winger Jake Maizen scored a hat-trick to make up for an early fluff-up to help Italy to a 28-4 win over Scotland.