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Lebanon
Nickname	The Cedars
Association	Lebanese Rugby League
Confederation	Asia
Captain	Hazem El Masri
RLIF ranking	8th
National Uniform
First international Japan 0 - 52 Lebanon (Tokyo, Japan; 1998)
Biggest win Morocco 0 - 104 Lebanon (Perpignan, France; 1999
Biggest defeat New Zealand 64 - 0 Lebanon (Gloucester, England; 29 October 2000)
World Cup
Appearances	1 (First in 2000)
Best result	Round 1, 2000

The Lebanon national rugby league team (nicknamed "The Cedars") has been participating in international competition since 1998. It was originally comprised of players of Lebanese background in New South Wales, Australia. A domestic competition was formed in Lebanon in 2002.

Contents 1 History 2 Players 3 World Cup 2008 4 Competitions 5 Results 5.1 1998 5.2 1999 5.3 2000 World Cup 5.4 2002 Mediterranean Cup 5.5 2003 Mediterranean Cup 5.6 2004 Mediterranean Cup 5.7 2006 Phoenician Cup 5.8 2008 World Cup Qualifying 6 See also 7 External links

Initially the Lebanese players were all Australian born and came mostly from inner-city Sydney. They started playing full internationals in 1998. In that time they beat Italy, travelled to Japan and the U.S.A. and beat both of them (the latter in the World Cup qualifier) and won the Mediterranean Cup in France.

They had to earn their place at the 2000 World Cup by winning the qualifying competition. First of all they won the Mediterranean group, defeating Morocco and arch rivals Italy, before travelling to Florida where they beat the USA, winners of the Pacific group.

In 2002, Lebanon beat France 36-6 in Tripoli.

Since then a domestic league has been set up and in 2005 a fully Lebanese team known as Lebanon Espoirs toured England and Wales. Lebanon Espoir (also known as Liban Espoir) have also toured Morocco. Recently they won their first victory on tour in Cyprus playing a British combined servies team.

The official website of Lebanon Rugby League is www.lebrl.com

An increasing amount of Lebanese Australians are making it as professional Rugby League players, most notably Canterbury Bulldogs star Hazem El Masri and Wests Tigers hooker Robbie Farah.

See also 2008 Rugby League World Cup qualifying

Lebanon will face Ireland and Russia in Europe Pool Two with the winner of the pool qualifying for the World Cup and the Runner Up entering the Repecharge round.

Lebanon has participated in:

• World Sevens: 1997, 2003
• World Cup: 2000
• Mediterranean Cup: since 2002

Winning team shown first

• Lebanon 52-0Japan

• Lebanon 104-0 Morocco
• Lebanon 62-8 USA
• Lebanon 36-16 Italy (11 November)

• New Zealand 64-0 Lebanon (29 October)
• Wales 24-22 Lebanon (2 November)
• Lebanon 22-22 Cook Islands (5 November)

• Lebanon 36-6 France (2 November)

• Lebanon 102-0 Serbia (19 October)
• Lebanon 60-0 Morocco (22 October)
• Lebanon 26-18 France (25 October)

• Lebanon 64-6 Serbia (2 October)
• Lebanon 48-14 Morocco (5 October)
• Lebanon 42-12 France (9 October)

• Lebanon 36-10 Malta (8 October)

• Lebanon 22-8 Russia (28 October 2006)

• Rugby league in Lebanon

• Google-Video

Lebanon Rugby League

European rugby league links
Rugby League European Federation
Competitions European Nations Cup | Super League | Challenge Cup |
Test nations France | Great Britain | Russia
Non-test Nations England | Georgia | Greece | Ireland | Italy | Lebanon | Malta | Moldova | Morocco | Netherlands | Serbia | Scotland | Wales