# Immortals RLFC

The Lebanese American University Immortals RLFC is a rugby league team that has been participating in Lebanese Rugby League Committee competitions since its first domestic championship in 2002.

## History

In 2001, RLIF sanctions the development plan for Lebanese rugby league.
As it became the unofficial tradition the Immortals RLFC couldn’t win both championship in a row finished their 2006 spring championship in second behind the Razorbacks. The Razorbacks won a well-deserved final game in Balamand Stadium 36–14 to clinch their second Title. During the 2006 spring championship, the Immortals RLFC travelled to France to play in a seven’s tournament as part of the "Tournoi des 5 Ballons "organized by the ESEC University. The Immortals tied point with a Russian and French university but failed to play the final game by a mere try in tries difference. The Immortals took third place after beating a Spanish university in their last game. The Sami Halabi era came to an end due to the fact that Mr. Halabi was forced to travel, the Immortals RLFC appointed Both Ibrahim Ballout and the Lebanese Rugby League undoubtedly best player Rudy Hachach as team coaches. The Immortals had a perfect season. They finished their season undefeated and won their final game against their bitter rivals the Wolves RLFC in Bhamdoun 36–10. During this season, the Immortals set the Lebanese Rugby League championship winning margin record 82–0 against Club Libanais (now known as Jounieh Al Galacticos RLFC) on January 14, 2007, in Bhamdoun Stadium.
The second version of the 2008/2009 Bank of Beirut Championship also finished the season with a first undefeated season but also lost to Galacticos in the final in an epic game after they conceded four tries in the first but came back in the second half. The Immortals were leading until they lost in the last minute with a correct try disallowed and a controversial penalty.
The 2010/2011 went as smooth as the previous year, the immortals clinched their seventh title by finishing again undefeated on top of the league table and beating AUB red backs in a close final game 16–8. During their campaign the Immortals travelled to Czech Republic where they won also the RL 9’s tournament – Pardubice without losing any game and their half back Walid Yassine chosen as Tournament MVP.

## Colours

The Immortals first played with the French Tricolor jerseys (Blue, White and red) due to the lack of suitable rugby league clothing in Lebanon. The jerseys were donated by the French Rugby League Federation post the 2002 Mediterranean Cup. All these jerseys carried the number 13. But due to its affiliation with the Lebanese American University, the Immortals adopted green and white as their official club colors in the following years.

## Team logo

The logo represent the face of a fictional figure of an Immortal.

## Honours

* Local Cups:
Lebanese Rugby League Spring Champions: 2003 - 2004 - 2005 Lebanese Rugby League Winter Champions: 2005 - 2006 Bank of Beirut Champions: 2009/2010 - 2010/2011

## Squad

* Squad:
| No | Player | Position | Height (m) | Weight (Kg) | Age | Previous Club | Years |
| 1 | Hazem Tawil* | fullback | 1.80 | 92 | 19 | Immortals RLFC | 3 |
| 2 | Hassan Jammal | right wing | 1.72 | 64 | 20 | Immortals RLFC | 2 |
| 3 | Nabil Tawil | right-centre | 1.79 | 84 | 22 | Immortals RLFC | 4 |
| 4 | George Rahal | left-centre | 1.78 | 89 | 22 | Black Lions RUFC | 4 |
| 5 | Mazen Knio* | centre | 1.92 | 94 | 34 | Immortals RLFC | 12 |
| 6 | Karim Jammal* | stand-off | 1.73 | 83 | 20 | Phoenicians RUFC | 2 |
| 7 | Jad El-Hashem* | scrum-half | 1.75 | 86 | 20 | Immortals RLFC | 2 |
| 8 | Rateb Shallah | prop | 1.86 | 111 | 22 | Immortals RLFC | 3 |
| 9 | Mounir Finan | hooker | 1.74 | 98 | 21 | Immortals RLFC | 2 |
| 10 | Nayef Abi Said | prop | 1.85 | 118 | 28 | Immortals RLFC | 7 |
| 11 | Ray Finan | prop | 1.82 | 98 | 20 | Phoenicians RUFC | 3 |
| 11 | Rudy Hachache | second-row | 1.85 | 117 | 29 | Immortals RLFC | 7 |
| 12 | Kahil Bejjani | second-row | 1.81 | 88 | 25 | Wolves RLFC | 4 |
| 13 | Ibrahim Balout (C) | loose forward | 1.85 | 102 | 26 | Immortals RLFC | 3 |
| 14 | Freddy Beaini | loose forward | 1.77 | 74 | 24 | Immortals RLFC | 5 |
| 15 | Darwish Nahouzi | second-row | 1.64 | 70 | 24 | Immortals RLFC | 2 |
| 16 | Ramez Ghandour* | prop | 1.76 | 95 | 21 | -- | Rookie |
| 17 | Hassan Shaheen | wing | 1.80 | 75 | 20 | Immortals RLFC | 2 |
| 18 | Ahmad Fadlalah | second-row | 1.80 | 87 | 19 | Immortals RLFC | 2 |
| 19 | Shawkat El Ghazi | prop | 1.76 | 95 | 21 | -- | Rookie |
| 20 | Kassem Abdo | wing | 1.75 | 82 | 20 | -- | Rookie |
| 21 | Alaa Khashab | wing | 1.80 | 65 | 22 | -- | Rookie |
| 22 | Hani Assi | prop | 1.82 | 94 | 25 | -- | Rookie |
| 23 | Khalil Namro | second-row | 1.88 | 94 | 20 | -- | Rookie |
| 24 | Abed Hammoud | centre | 1.78 | 83 | 19 | -- | Rookie |
| 25 | Yves Khoury | centre | 1.85 | 80 | 22 | Immortals RLFC | 2 |
| 26 | Kevin Haddad* | wing | 1.75 | 83 | 21 | Immortals RLFC | 2 |
| 27 | Walid Yassine | centre | 1.87 | 75 | 18 | -- | Rookie |
| 28 | Adam Itani | second-row | 1.84 | 85 | 26 | -- | Rookie |
| 29 | Omar Wehbe | left wing | 1.81 | 86 | 22 | Immortals RLFC | 2 |
| 30 | Hassan El Sabeh | prop | 1.81 | 156 | 23 | DRFC | 6 |
* Staff As November 2008
| Name | Position | Age | Previous Club | Years |
| Raymond Safi | Head Coach | 34 | Wolves RLFC | 2 |
| Rudy Hachache | Assistant Coach | 29 | Immortals RLFC | 3 |
| Nayef Abi Said | Assistant Coach | 28 | Immortals RLFC | 2 |
| Hani Assi | Physical Trainer | 25 | Cedars (Lebanese Rugby League National Team) | 1 |
| Maher Fadlalah | Physio | 38 | Lebanese American University | 3 |

## Rivalries

The Immortals and their fans have developed rivalries with other clubs.

## Records
### Player records

LRLC STATS 2002 - 2007 (10 Seasons)
* Top 10 scorers (regular season only)
** 1. Rudy Hachache (LAU) 454 (111 tries, 5 goals)
** 2. Sami Halabi (LAU) 328 (45 tries, 74 goals)
** 4. Jawad Fakih (LAU) 230 (48 tries, 19 goals)
** 8. Ibrahim Ballout (LAU) 138 (11 tries, 47 goals)
* Top 10 try scorers (regular season only)
** 1. Rudy Hachache (LAU) 111
** 2. Jawad Fakih (LAU) 48
** 3. 45
* Top 10 goal scorers (regular season only – minimum 50 points)
** 1. Sami Halabi (LAU) 148 (64%)
** 3. Ibrahim Ballout (LAU) 94 (62%)
** 5. Hamid Wazni (LAU) 78 (72%) (Played Only Two Consecutive Seasons)
* John Elias Award (The Lebanese Rugby League MVP Award):
** Jawad Fakih : Winter 2005
** Robin Hachach: 2008
** Rudy Hachache : Spring 2004 - Winter 2006
** Sami Halabi : Spring 2003 - Spring 2005

### Team records

* First team to win the Spring Championship
* First team to win both the Spring Championship and the Winter Championship