Wales rue missed opportunity

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Pipped by Scotland on points difference for an automatic place in the main draw, they were handed a chance to grab 10th spot through the repechage but fell at the first hurdle in Widnes on Friday night despite leading 20-10 early in the second half.

"We had opportunities to qualify," admitted team manager and former international John Devereux. "We should have beaten Scotland in both games."

Wales made a dream start at the Halton Stadium with two tries in the first nine minutes from Damien Gibson and Andy Bracek, both crafted by skipper Lee Briers, and they totally dominated the first half.

When Gibson completed his hat-trick three minutes into the second half, Martin Hall's men seemed to have re-established their hold on the game but three tries in a 12-minute spell turned it upside down.

Scrum-half George Ndaira, Lebanon's only full-time player who is joining Sydney Roosters for 2008, created one try and scored another to level the scores.

Full-back Toufic Nicholas' conversion put Lebanon in front for the first time on 52 minutes and loose forward Chris Salem went on to score a hat-trick of tries as the visitors cut loose.

"We were the best side in the first half," said Devereux. "A lot of chances we didn't put away and they came back to haunt us."

Lebanon will now meet Samoa in Wednesday's repechage final at Featherstone for the final place next year, while Wales will have to wait until 2013 for their next World Cup opportunity and that will be too late for Iestyn Harris.

The dual-code international damaged a hamstring in the warm-up and failed to finish what was almost certainly his last match for Wales. It was a sad way to bow out.