Having heard the LAU result the night before, AUB knew they couldn’t get to the final directly, having to settle instead for a second place finish and a juicy clash with Jounieh on Saturday evening in Bhamdoun. Whether they will have gained anything from their walkover victory against USJ is open to question, but it was clear from the defensive intensity that the Wolves emerged from their six-week political crisis/Easter break/season bye-induced hibernation hungry for action. Coach Faysal Jaber now has to deal with any coach’s most sought after problem: which of his talent-deep and full-strength squad to leave out of next week’s seventeen?

When wing Akram Al Chamaa scored on AUB’s first set the writing was on the wall, and early into the second half the match officials were forced to call off the match for safety reasons, with USJ down to only a half-dozen able bodies and another five walking wounded.

Irishman Daniel Eagan made his return from a thumb injury, scoring twice in his first outing at fullback. He was matched by two scores from form centre Karim Mourabet, who also kicked six goals for a twenty-point personal haul.

For USJ it was a match too far. All but the hard core of their squad remained, with the rest having consigned a bitterly hard season to the scrap heap following the recent political upheavals that put life in Lebanon on hiatus for almost two weeks. The Saints will need to reorganize and build for 2008/9, with a stable of talented players offering hope of better things to come.

Source : lebrl.com