Beit Jala Lions
The Beit Jala Lions (Arabic:-لايونز بيت جالا) is a rugby union club situated in the town of Beit Jala near Bethlehem in the West Bank.
The team was started in October 2007 by ex-Hungarian national rugby team player Martin Bisztrai, and later encouraged by members of the Munster Supporters Club. Their first full match took place in March 2008 against the newly formed Ramallah Blue Snakes, in the town of Khader.
In October 2008, the team travelled to Cyprus to take part in the Paphos Tag Rugby Tournament 2008, and play against the Paphos Tigers and Limassol Crusaders. The same month, the team had a tag rugby match against the Ramallah Blue Snakes in the Taybeh Oktober festival.
Plans are being made to host a Tag Rugby Tournament in Palestine, with some teams coming from Ireland.
Team
- Martin Bisztrai (coach until October 2008), fullback/flyhalf
- Nicola Stefan ,(coach from October 2008), scrum half/flyhalf
- George Antonio Maria , second row/number 8
- Jason Pollack , flanker/scrum half
- Samer Tareh , second row
- Jamal Abu Farha, prop
- Saleem Moussa Anfous , prop/flanker
- Pari Gedeon , flanker/inside center
- Usama Khamis , wing
- Najeeb Makhlouf ,hooker/flanker
- Tony Ballout , wing
- Apo Sahagian , outside center/wing
- Dr. Nassar Khamis (Chairman)