Mediterranean Cup
| Aus-Med Shield | |
|---|---|
| Sport | Rugby league football |
| Formerly known as | Mediterranean Cup |
| Inaugural season | 1999 |
| Number of teams | 4 |
| Country | Australia (RLIF) |
| Champions |
 Lebanon (2004) |
| Most titles |
Lebanon (4 titles) |
| Related competitions |
European Cup European Shield European Bowl Euro-Med Challenge |
The Mediterranean Cup was an annual rugby league football tournament that was held in Lebanon although it also has been held in France. It was contested by Lebanon, France, Serbia and Morocco with the competition first conceived as a qualifying tournament for the 2000 Rugby League World Cup, and in 1999 was contested by Lebanon, Morocco and Italy. As the 2000 World Cup was not financially successful the tournament was cancelled for a number of years.
The Mediterranean Cup was resurrected in 2002 as a one-off match between Lebanon and France. It was played at Tripoli International Stadium on November 2, 2002 in front of a crowd of 9,713. Lebanon defeated France 36-6. In 2003 and 2004, it was expanded to again become a four team tournament.
On 2 October 2005 it was announced that the 2005 tournament was cancelled. According to Lebanon Rugby League official Danny Kazandjian: "It is with a sense of profound disappointment that we have had to face harsh reality and cancel the Mediterranean Cup, just one day before our official launch press conference at the Searock Hotel in Raouché, Beirut, and just nine days before Lebanon was due to take on Serbia in the Olympic Stadium, Tripoli. The Lebanese rugby league feels extremely let down by certain parties."[1]
France, Serbia, Morocco and Lebanon have all moved on to other tournaments in the RLEF developmental scheme. Serbia and Lebanon have been moved up to the 2009 European Cup and France will be playing in the 2009 Four Nations. Maroc Rugby League are currently restructuring the game in Morocco and the revamped Moroccan team played in and won the RLEF Euro Med Challenge.
Mediterranean Cup summaries
| Year | Host | Winner | Final Score | Runner-up | Final venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | France | Lebanon | 104–0 |  Morocco | Stade d'Albert Domec, Carcassonne |
| 2002 | Lebanon | Lebanon | 36–6 |  France | International Olympic Stadium, Tripoli |
| 2003 | Lebanon | Lebanon | 26–18 | France | International Olympic Stadium, Tripoli |
| 2004 | Lebanon | Lebanon | 42–14 | France | International Olympic Stadium, Tripoli |
See also
References
- ↑ "2005 Mediterranean Cup Cancelled". Lebanon Rugby League Official Site. 2005-10-07. Retrieved 2005-12-19.
External links
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