‘It’s in our blood’: Lebanon, Ukraine and Syria rugby league teams fly the flag despite horrors of war at home

Players from war-torn countries say they are determined to ‘give people hope’, ‘put the country on the map’ and ‘wear the badge with honour’

By No Helmets Required

There are many reasons for a country to not play rugby league. Being at war does not seem to be one of them. Last Sunday, a few miles apart in Sydney, Syria and Lebanon played international fixtures on contrasting stages. Syria hosted a series of friendlies at the humble home of Bankstown Bulls, before Lebanon played an all-time World Cup classic against France in a frenzied CommBank Stadium. A few days earlier, Ukraine had played a crucial European Championship match in Belgrade.

Lebanon beat France after a wild finish, suggesting they are still among the top eight teams in the world, even if their ranking is far lower due to their inactivity since the last World Cup. The country has been torn apart by the war in the Middle East. “Our last game together was in England in 2022,” said prop Jalal Bazzaz, who played in all three of Lebanon’s matches at the World Cup. “So our aim was just to be good each week. We talked about giving back to where we come from, our roots. It’s in our blood. To put on that jersey, represent my country and put Lebanon on the world stage – it gives people something to smile about, a bit of hope.