The last time Parramatta centre Jordan Samrani pulled on a Lebanon jersey he was left in tears after being cruelly denied a debut seven years ago because of an eligibility row.
“I’ve still not played in that Cedars jersey,” Samrani told AAP.
Back in 2019 at the World Cup Nines, Samrani, then aged 17, was warming up ahead of kick-off for a clash with Wales when he was told he was ineligible to play because he was too young.
The rules of the tournament, which was run by the NRL, prohibited players under 18 from taking part, but Samrani - and Jacob Kiraz, who was also 17 and had played 24 hours earlier against France - had slipped under the radar.
Kiraz’s inclusion in the win against France led to Lebanon being stripped of their points, but unlike Samrani he at least got to take the field.
“I was warming up and the coach pulled me aside and said, 'mate, you guys are not allowed to play’,” Samrani said.
“I was like ‘What do you mean? Jacob played the first game’. And there was a big stink about it, international versus NRL rules, I had a few tears in my eyes.”
Samrani will finally get a chance to play for Lebanon when they open their group-stage matches against Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby on Saturday.
“It was pretty upsetting for him,” Kiraz said.
“He missed the last World Cup with his knee injury, but it’s exciting for him, for all of us, we’re going to have a really good team.”
Lebanon may be without Mitchell Moses, who has been selected by Australia, and the injured Adam Doueihi, but there is an undercurrent of emerging players in the squad assembled by coach Michael Cheika, which should negate the Cedars’ position as outsiders for Saturday’s match at PNG Football Stadium.
More than half the squad, including Samrani, Kiraz and prop Alex Twal, boast NRL or Super League experience.
There are no players from Lebanon’s longstanding domestic competition, but Samrani says that will not diminish their commitment.
“My grandparents were born there and moved over to Australia in the late 1960s,” Samrani said.
“They're so proud to be Lebanese, as I am myself, and just what goes on over there and what happens over in the country, they go through a fair bit.
“If we can bring them some joy of some kind … that's who we're playing for.”
