Welcome to the Rugby League Europe Federation

< Back

Saudi's take inaugural rugby league title‏

Saturday 6th March 2010

March 6: Lebanon U16s 14 (8) – 14 (10) Saudi Schools Select – Charles Hostler Centre, American University of Beirut

Lebanon tries: Elie Khoury 2, Hilal Kadoumi. Goals: Kadoumi 1/2, Thomas Zachariou 0/1

Saudi Select tries: Daley Herschelman, Bisher Shehabi, Rackan Al-Moukhtar. Goals: Zander Potgeiter 1/3

 

REPORT

Saudi Arabia took the laurels in the inaugural MENA Under-16s Rugby League Championship as their Schools Select edged out hosts Lebanon to take the cup in an exciting, controversial final.

 

Locked at 14-all on the final whistle both sides, thinking they were in a play-off situation, momentarily prepared for extra time until tournament officials informed them that the  round-robin league format put the Saudis at the top of the table on points difference after a larger margin of victory against Palestine XIII.

 

All 36 players invested a huge amount of effort in a compelling clash, the Saudis deserving winners overall, with most pundits classing them as the best of the competition’s three sides.  

 

The Lebanese employed the same formula they had used to get past Palestine: left centre Elie Khoury’s strike power out wide and a strong team defensive effort led by back rowers Amer Kazna, arguably Lebanon’s player of the tournament, and Mohamed Dennaoui.

 

The Junior Cedars needed all their fire and determination to resist the Camels’ attacks as a nervous home outfit frittered away several possessions. Saudi captain Ruan Knuppel set up fellow South African Daley Herschelman for a 5^th minute opener, with Khoury leveling matters three minutes later.

 

Powerful 15-year-old second rower Bisher Shehabi put the Select 10-4 up on 27 minutes but Khoury tore through once more to score a minute before the break. Crucially, the tournament’s top scorer with four tries, chose not to improve the position, touching down in the corner.

 

The second half saw Lebanon placed under a lot of pressure as Saudi props Cem Havliogui and Marwan Alaa drove the Camels forward, while Knuppel tested the fringes with a neat short passing game, posing questions the Lebanese halves never did of the Saudi defence.

 

In reply to the Saudis varied attack the Lebanese attempted to unleash Khoury as often as possible, but the tall three-quarter, after his first half blitzkrieg, was well watched by Rackhan Al-Moukhtar, almost his equal in size.

 

A break by the indefatigable Kazna led to Kadoumi’s 50^th minute score, but seven minutes later the Saudis had drawn level as Al Moukhtar crashed over, scoring the points that would see the Camels crowned regional champions.

 

"To say the lads are ecstatic understates the case," exclaimed Saudi manager Shaun Nicholls moments after the match had ended. "We were the better team on the day and grimly held off the Lebanese at the critical moments in a very toughly contested game."

 

The Saudi team returned bruised, proud and cheerful late Saturday night  to Jeddah clutching the silver-plated trophy which was hard won and hugely appreciated.

 

 

FINAL TABLE

 

	W	D	L	PF	PA	+ / -	Pts
Saudi Schools Select	1	1	0	34	14	20	3
Lebanon U16s	1	1	0	30	20	10	3
Palestine XIII U16s	0	0	2	6	36	-30	0

 

 

SAUDI SCHOOLS SELECT

1. Ahmed Zaher
2. Hassan Sharbatly
3. Rackan Al-Moukhtar
4. Praney Abraham
5. Daley Herschelman
6. Zander Potgeiter
7. Ruan Knuppel ©
8. Cem Havliogui
9. Hasan Zakzouk
10. Marwan Alaa
11. Samer Balaa
12. Mazen Ghobara
13. Bisher Shehabi

 

14. Liam McGraith

15. Farid Abdul-Wahab

16. Ahmad Al-Darubi

17. Osama Aboulla

18. Salman Abu Ali Yasr

 

Coaches: Chris Ratcliffe / Dave Kinkead

Manager: Shaun Nichols

 

LEBANON U16s

1. Firas El Turk
2. Elie Chedraoui
3. Bashar Abbas
4. Elie Khoury
5. Thomas Zachariou
6. Hossam Kalouch
7. Hilal Kadoumi ©
8. Najed Zakour
9. Abdelrahman Ismael
10. Abed El Malak Soueid
11. Mazen Hanna
12. Mohammed Denaoui
13. Amer Kazna

 

14. Taha Youssef
15. Mahmoud Kaddour
16. Elie Tamasch
17. Mike Saraf
18. Saddam Hussein

 

Coaches: Nader Mgheit / Ryan Tout

Manager: (Miss) Nagibe Hamze

 

Player of the Tournament: Ruan Knuppel (Saudi Schools Select)