12 December 2011
BEIRUT: In an exciting final, favorites Jamhour school beat Lycee Ashrafieh 19-0 Sunday in Lebanon’s first-ever inter-schools championship.
Jamhour reached the final after beating Champville A and Tripoli School, while Lycee beat Champville B and Broumana High School to qualify.
A total of five schools participated in the first inter-schools championship held at the sports field of the Lebanese University Hadath. The championship will have three more rounds before an overall winner is decided .
The championship will help the Lebanese Rugby Union Federation choose the top 22 players in the country to represent Lebanon in Dubai for an international schools tournament in April 2012 under the new Academy (under-19) Program.
The newly appointed head of the Academy Program and deputy chairman of the LRUF, Ghassan Hajjar, was thought to be very impressed with the competitiveness of all the teams – especially the two Champville sides who were taking their first steps into the world rugby – boding well for Lebanon’s entry into their first international schools tournament.
On the same day, the ladies rugby team under manger Wael Harb played three matches between the games.
It is hoped that at least within a year four other schools will join the league, ensuring a strong academy squad of at least 100 players, who will hopefully form the backbone of future Lebanese national sides.
Copyright The Daily Star 2011.
