Rugby in Lebanon started with the Beirut Phoenician Rugby club                                                                

The BPRUFC was formed in October 1995 in response to a request from the British Embassy for a rugby team to play HMS Cardiff, a Royal Navy warship that docked in Beirut for a few days in November 1995.

BPRUFC was founded by:
Col. Big Bird (deceased)
David Malving (left the region)
Alex Jammal
Many of the club’s retired members remain on the committee and have taken on an active role in promoting rugby in Lebanon. Today the BPRUFC is a squad of 15 players fronted by Club Chairman Alex Jammal who was reinstated in 2009. In 2006 The Beirut Phoenicians has proven its capability of winning at home the 3rd Beirut 10’s. This Tournament hosted two more teams than the previous year. As for Dubai 7’s, the Beirut Phoenicians were very proud to rank second after having won all the games over the couple days of this major event. That gave the opportunity for the Lebanese Team to play the final on the main pitch with more than 25.000 spectators watching the game.

That last achievement had set a new standard for the Club, but even more for the Lebanese Rugby Federation.This Federation has been the Lebanon Rugby 15’s Committee project for 2006. It had been initiated by the founders of Rugby 15 in Lebanon, Mr. Alex JAMMAL and Mr. Mike JAMMAL, as well as other members like Mr. Serge SABBAGHA, Mr. Bassam HUSSEINI, Mr. Chady TOUMA, Mr. Georges AOUN and Mr. Ghassan HAJJAR.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                                               

1996: 1st tour In February 1996, the BPRFC toured Cyprus and played two matches against British Army teams from the Episkopi and Akrotiri bases on the Island of Cyprus. In June1996 we played the 1st game via Fijian UNIFIL Battalion in Tyre, South Lebanon, and the match was called Qana Memorial Cup, in memory of the tragic events at the Fijian Battalion HQ in Qana on the 18th April, 1996.
In July 1996, BPRUFC officially became a member of the Arabian Gulf Rugby Union, a member of the IRB. On October 4th the club hosted and played the London Lebanese XV, beating them 12 - nil. On November 20th, 1996 the BPRUFC flew to Dubai to take part in the prestigious Dubai Seven’s Tournament with representatives from all over the world, many of whom was surprised and impressed that Beirut was able to field such a competent side.

1997: March 1997 the 1st game via Egypt, the BPRFC flew to Cairo with its supporters to play the Cairo XV, defeating them 40- nil. In June 1997 1st game via Jordan, the BPRFC hosted and played the Amman XV, winning the match 12- nil.

1998: From small beginnings, the Beirut Phoenicians Rugby Club has become a formidable sporting institution. The Club now boasts a membership of over 50 played, the vast majority being Lebanese citizens. In December the club went to Dubai with its strongest team since it started, reach the final of the Khan jar Silver Trophy and lost in the final 30 seconds.

2000: Took part in the International 10’s Tournament in Cyprus.

2001: February we beat the Amman XV 41-0 and proved to ourselves more than anyone, who ruled club rugby in the Middle East. We participated in the Cyprus International 10’s and the Dubai International 7’s.  

2002: We started sporadic training for students in Notre Dame Jamhour leading to the eventual establishment of the Black Lions.

2003: Established a new Rugby Union league, other than the Arabian League, that would coordinate with the representative of the IRB, based in Dubai. The new Rugby Union league would be comprised of teams from the Lebanon, Jordon, Cairo and Alexandria, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria.

2004: The Highlight of the year was the organization and success of the first ever Rugby Union Tournament in Lebanon, “Beirut International Ten-a-Side” that took place on 11th – 12th June, being the first such venue. There were six teams that participated, Cyprus, Jordon, Cairo, two teams from Lebanon and a mixed Barbarian team. The final was between Beirut via Cyprus which Cyprus won 13-12 with a penalty conversion in the last seconds of the game. We play of for the 1st time, the Zenobian XV of Syria newly formal club with a new local rugby union team established, (Jamhour Black Lions) we played them on a monthly basis throughout the year.

2005: After a very long (7 year) awaited acceptance from the Ministry of Youth and Sports recognizing Rugby Union as a sport in the Lebanon and approval of our club license. Beirut International Ten a side was a success, we lost the final against Dubai Exiles in a hard fought final 7-5.

2006: The Beirut Phoenicians has proven its capability of winning at home the 3rd Beirut 10’s. This Tournament hosted two more teams than the previous year. As for Dubai 7’s, the Beirut Phoenicians were very proud to rank second after having won all the games over the couple days of this major event. That gave the opportunity for the Lebanese Team to play the final on the main pitch with more than 25.000 spectators watching the game. That last achievement had set a new standard for the Club, but even more for the Lebanese Rugby Federation.

This Federation has been the Lebanon Rugby 15’s Committee project for 2006. It had been initiated by the founders of Rugby 15 in Lebanon, Mr. Alex JAMMAL, Mr. Serge SABBAGHA, Mr. Bassam HUSSEINI, Mr. Chady TOUMA, Mr. Georges AOUN and Mr. Ghassan HAJJAR. This Committee was represented at the 1st General Assembly of the Arab Rugby Federation in Tunis, in May. The ARF welcomed Lebanon’s suggestion to host the 1st ARF Tournament in Beirut which has been set for June 2007, after being postponed from initial date in September 2006, due to the 33 days’ war launched on Lebanon by Israel.

2007: The Lebanon Rugby 15 committee has worked on the promotion of Rugby in the country, its main target being the new clubs creation program. Beirut reached the semi-finals of the Dubai Rugby 7s.

2008: A successful year for the Beirut Phoenicians – two wins against the Montcalm French Navy, reached the semi-finals of the Dubai Rugby 7s, and won matches against the Syrian National rugby team and the Mashreq League against a Jordanian team.download our history in pdf format