Knee surgery fails to stop Lebanon stalwart
A radical knee reconstruction surgery ‘‘gamble’’ has got stalwart Lebanon forward Ray Moujalli to his first - and last Rugby League World Cup tournament.
The 32-year-old frontrower who made his international debut 14 years ago in Beirut reckons it’s ‘‘a bit of a miracle’’ that he’s able to take his place on Lebanon’s interchange bench for today’s quarterfinal with Tonga in Christchurch.
In a tournament littered with NRL superstars, Moujalli is one of the World Cup’s unsung heroes.
He made his sole NRL appearance in 2009 for the Syd- ney Roosters but has been running around in reserve grade for a decade.
Moujalli had already vowed 2017 would be his final year for the Canterbury Bulldogs’ reserve grade side with the World Cup the pot of gold at the end of his rainbow.
‘‘But I did my ACL in the round 18 of the [NSW Cup comp, which was a bit shattering,’’ he said from Lebanon’s Christchurch hotel.
‘‘It’s one of the worst injuries in league, it normally puts you out for the season.
‘‘I was basically retiring this year either way,’’ said Moujalli, who reckoned he didn’t want to bow out on a negative note.
So he did his homework and discovered the LARS (ligament advanced reinforcement system] surgery method was ‘‘half the time’’ [in terms of recovery].
‘‘Instead of being six months, it would be three months. The success rate wasn’t the best, but I took the risk, and it paid off.
‘‘I came back within 12 weeks and started training with the boys. It’s only been about 15 or 16 weeks now since the operation. It’s basically been a miracle to come back and play.’’
Moujalli, who spent six seasons playing for the Newtown Jets, a feeder club to the Roosters - said the synthetic graft ligament procedure was ‘‘quicker to heal’’ than having a ligament taken from the hamstring.
Lebanon’s captain Robbie Farah has hailed Moujalli’s ‘‘inspirational’’ comeback.
‘‘We all thought he was dreaming, but several weeks before the squad was picked he announced he was ready. He proved his fitness and won selection. No one could believe it,’’ Farah said at the time.
‘‘The boys love Ray. We all revelled in seeing his emotion when it came time to play England [in the Rugby League World Cup first round].
‘‘Even at my age, and with everything I’ve managed to achieve in the game, seeing something like that teaches me new aspects of mental strength. I’m amazed.’’
Moujalli said his knee had been fine at the tournament, although he’d been doing ‘‘a lot of stretching, roller and physio’’ to look after it.
He only once doubted he would make the World Cup.
‘‘It was probably about the fifth or sixth week after the surgery. I had a bit of a reaction in my knee to an injection.
‘‘I was talking to one of my [Lebanon] teammates Chris Saab about it. I said, ‘I don’t think I am going to make it’.
‘‘He was very positive, he just told me to keep the faith and keep going.
‘‘Then I had a cortisone shot and it came right.’’
Moujalli, a personal trainer in Sydney who will become the Canterbury Bulldogs’ reserve grade strength and conditioning coach next year, was never going to give up ‘‘on a lifetime dream to play at the World Cup’’.
It had been his driving ambition since he first pulled on Lebanon’s green and white jumper for his debut in Beirut against Serbia in the 2003 Mediterranean Cup tournament.
‘‘That was the only reason I’ve played these last two years of my career – to get to the World Cup. Otherwise I would have retired two years ago.’’
It’s been a long time between trips to the big dance for the Cedars, who debuted at the
2000 tournament but missed selection in
2008 and 2013.
For a man as proud of his Lebanese heritage as Moujalli, it’s been huge highlight to have been involved in the nation’s first World Cup win (over France) and first march to the playoffs phase.
He’s proud that the Cedars have now automatically qualified for the 2021 tournament in Britain, even though he won’t be playing then.
The Tonga semifinal ‘‘could be my last game of my career... it could be the biggest game I play,’’ he said.
‘‘I would definitely love to finish on a good note.’’