IT took 156 overall minutes at the Rugby League World Cup but Jamaica’s Reggae Warriors finally scored their first-ever try in the tournament.

It came in the 76th minute of their second game of Group C, a 68-6 loss to title favourites New Zealand at the MKM Stadium in Hull, England, Saturday. It also follows their first points, scored by Kieran Rush in a 48-2 loss to Ireland in Leeds last Sunday.

Ben Jones-Bishop secured the try to send the spectators into a frenzy, in spite of the scoreline. Fittingly, Jones-Bishop produced the try on his 300th appearance for the country and was given a guard of honour by both teams at the end as a tribute to his long service for Jamaica.

When asked to share his feelings after creating history for Jamaica, Jones-Bishop, with his two small children in hand, joked that he was “very tired”.

“It meant a lot and… Well, I don’t have many words, to be honest,” he admitted after the game. “It’s surreal, really. The 300th game, at the World Cup, against New Zealand — it’s great! I’m just happy for the boys; I think we deserved something. First half, we really dug in there and showed some heart and I’m glad we came away with a try.”

The result left Jones-Bishop hopeful about the legacy being left behind for the Jamaica Rugby League.

“We’ve got things to build on,” he said. “You are playing for a nation where hard work and effort is a given — and we’ve got that in abundance. We’ll get better; we’ve got one more game and the boys will be back ready for the next World Cup.”

Assistant Coach Jermaine Coleman said, after the Ireland game, that while the team’s defensive effort pleased him there was work to be done in attack, and that would have been the focus of training all week. In spite of going up against the top-ranked team in the world, the Jamaicans produced a spirited display from start to finish and showed more fight in attack than in the previous game. Jamaica also had a strategy of employing a short kick-off game throughout and New Zealand were made to work hard dealing with each.

They were, however, undone by not only fatigue but the brilliance of full back Dallin Watene-Zelezniak. He scored four tries and two goals in a Man of the Match performance for the Kiwis who have now advanced to the quarter-finals.

But Head Coach Romeo Monteith is pleased with the effort and energy in his team, regardless.

“It’s what we spoke about heading into this World Cup,” he said after the game. “You can’t predict the score on the field but if you put 110 per cent into it and you give your all, then I’ll be happy. Tonight I saw where the boys fought every minute of the game — and how lovely to score that try!

“We tried a lot more stuff. Those short kick-offs really worked for us; we recovered most of those balls; and I’m just really pleased overall with the effort we put out for tonight.

“I’m pleased, overall, with the performance. Would’ve liked the score to be a bit closer, of course, but overall I’m definitely happy with the effort and energy from the boys.”

Monteith reflected on the years of effort put into the project by Rugby League Jamaica to get to the World Cup .

“It’s always been about doing something special,” he said. “Just being in this World Cup is something special to us. We’ve been trying for years to get here — two failed qualifying attempts to get there. Now that we’re here it’s really a dream come true. Each game, it’s been about the boys going out there, doing their best — and today I saw a lift in the performance compared to the Ireland game.”

The Reggae Warriors now focus on their final game of the tournament — against Lebanon in Leigh on Sunday, October 30 at 7:30 am Jamaica time.