Rugby League World Cup continues with Pool C action featuring Jamaica v Ireland which could quite possibly be the most unexpected Rugby League World Cup fixture ever. But the mystery of not knowing the teams and most of the players is what World Cup of any sport are all about.
When else are you going to watch Jamaica v Ireland in any sport?
Our Group C Jamaica v Ireland Match Centre has a preview, stats, team lists before the game and a summary of the match afterwards. More than you could ever need or want.
If you want more information on all the squads – follow this link here.
Jamaica v Ireland Match Summary
Luke Keary has inspired Ireland to a big win over first-time World Cup participants Jamaica.
Jamaica were outclassed by the Irish for the majority of the match but it did take 12 minute for Ireland to score. The first was scored by Louis Senior on the wing, straight from a scrum after a Jamaica error. Three minutes later and Ireland had extended their lead when Irish captain and lock George King forced his way over from close range. The relatively easy conversion was missed and the score remained 8-0.
The tries kept coming for the Irish when Brendan O’Hagan scooted over from dummy half with ease in the 19th minute. But for all the easy tries to Ireland, Jamaica were still giving it plenty, and saved a certain try not long later to show they were still in the contest if not the game.
Ireland put on their fourth try of the match in the minutes leading into half time, set up by a great Luke Keary run and eventually Ed Chamberlain did the rest down the sideline.
Jamaica earned the cheers from the crowd with their first points just before the half time siren as they converted a penalty goal chance. Sadly for them, it was to be their only points of the match. Ireland led 18-2 at the break.
Jamaica held out for 12 second half minutes before Ireland scored again, Innes Senior scoring after a Harry Rushton break had set up the set. Goal kicking woes continued with a fourth miss from five. And it didn’t take long for Ireland to score again, and like the try before Harry Rushton was involved. Rushton put on a deft grubber that Toby King chased best to score. Luke Keary was also involved in the build up. With 20 minutes to go Ireland were now leading 28-2, and looked like plenty more was coming.
Louis Senior scored his second of the match in the 63rd minute with a fine Joe Keyes cut out pass finding Ed Chamberlain who gave it onto Senior to score in the corner. James McDonnell joined the scoring in the 71st minute with Josh Cook involved in the lead up with a long pass to create space. Ireland were now 38-2 in front.
The Irish twice more to end the game, the first going to James Bentley who ran around the Jamaican defense 10 metres out before straightening up to score. The final score of the game went to Frankie Halton who simply powered through some tired Jamaican defense.
Jamaica were always going to find it hard, but Ireland looked quite good, and might be decent value for the second spot in their group.
FINAL SCORE
JAMAICA 2
Goals: Kieran Rush 1
IRELAND 48
Tries: Louis Senior 2 George King 1 Brendan O’Hagan 1 Ed Chamberlain 1 Toby King 1 Innes Senior 1 James McDonnell 1 James Bentley 1 Frankie Halton 1
Goals: Joe Keyes 3 Ed Chamberlain 1
Jamaica v Ireland Teams
JAMAICA
BEN JONES-BISHOP
MO AGORO
GREG JOHNSON
JACOB OGDEN
ALEX YOUNG
JAMES WOODBURN-HALL
KIERAN RUSH
JORDAN ANDRADE
ASHTON GOLDING
MICHAEL LAWRENCE
AJ WALLACE
CHEVAUGHN BAILEY
JOE BROWN
AARON JONES-BISHOP
BRADLEY HO
KEENEN TOMLINSON
ROSS PELTIER
ANDREW SIMPSON
IRELAND
RICHIE MYLER
LOUIS SENIOR
ED CHAMBERLAIN
TOBY KING
INNES SENIOR
LUKE KEARY
JOE KEYES
LIAM BYRNE
BRENDAN O’HAGAN
JAIMIN JOLLIFFE
JAMES BENTLEY
FRANKIE HALTON
GEORGE KING
HARRY RUSHTON
JAMES MCDONNELL
JOSHUA COOK
JAMES HASSON
RONAN MICHAEL
Jamaica 2 Ireland 48 Match Stats
Jamaica v Ireland Pre Match Stats
Jamaica v Ireland Preview
There’s not a great deal we can preview here, but we are sure this game will be good fun to watch regardless.
Jamaica have the advantage of thrashing Ireland in their only meeting in 2016, and on Irish soil no less. That day Super League player Richie Barnett scored four tries for the Jamaicans, Jordan Andrade also scored a double and he remains in the squad but Barnett is not.
Jamaica are unbeaten in three games (W1 D2) against the British and Irish teams (excluding England) so are an outside chance of an upset here.
One figures that Luke Keary will be enough to get them across the line against a World Cup debutant nation. Ireland did quite well in the 2017 version in PNG and Australia, winning two of their three games, and pushing PNG quite hard losing only 14-6.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Luke Keary is the obvious choice here, being the biggest name for either side. He will be the main focus and could likely carry Ireland to victory all by himself.
All of Jamaica. We’ll admit we don’t know much about the Irish team, and even less about the Jamaican team, but this is the joy of this type of fixture is enjoying it without prejudice and finding one or two new players to follow for the rest of the World Cup. From both sides we say, but especially Jamaica where there are players from the local competition representing their company.
PREDICTION
Jamaica 28 Ireland 26
