The Lebanese Rugby League Committee has announced a new sponsorship, with 961 Beer, a local brewery and bar based in Gemmayze, one of Beirut’s most popular entertainment areas. The one-year partnership will see 961 become the sleeve sponsors of Lebanon’s representative teams, Liban Espoir and the national team, the Cedars. The new shirt design will be revealed at the 22 March Liban Espoir versus UAE RL XIII match in Bhamdoun.

LRLC vice president Danny Kazandjian said: “We are really happy to enter into this partnership with such a young and positive local company which shares a lot of common views with Lebanese rugby league, particularly an affirmative outlook on Lebanon’s future and the importance young Lebanese have in that future. We are delighted to wear them on our representative teams’ shirts.”

961, which produces eight different labels, will also show Lebanese championship matches every Sunday night.

The Lebanon national team is playing in the Euro-Med Challenge against Russia and Serbia later this year, with the Serbian national team set to visit Lebanon for the third time on 4 October.