BEIRUT: LRUF academy players (under-19) didn’t let the recent cold storms stop them from turning up for their training sessions over the last two weeks in preparation for April’s Middle East International under-19 tournament.

Over 40 players from ACS, Jamhour, Lycee, Champville, BHS, NDL, Palestinian schools and Tripoli were supervised by national coach Steve Wrigglerworth and his three assistants, Karim Jammal (senior national team captain), Frederick Makhlouf and Raymond Asfour.

The sessions were also attended by Ghassan Hajjar, vice chairman of the Lebanese Rugby Union Federation, who is now taking over the responsibilities of running the academy squad.

There will be one more training session on Feb. 5, before the second inter-school tournament, and final trials are on Feb. 12. Both these sessions, will be held at the Lebanese University campus in Hadath from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. All students are welcome.

Sunday’s training session is expected to draw at least 75 students competing to be in the 22-man squad.