Liban Espoir squad, Lebanon's all-star rugby team, have a 19-man squad all set and primed for the big clash with England's Lionhearts later this month.

The game, at Vale of Lune's Powder House Lane, promises to be one of the must-sees in the area's sporting calendar - and Lebanon will prove to be a tough nut to crack.

The 19-man squad, mainly consisting of all-star university students, picked exclusively from the five-team domestic league, will be kicking off its tough nine-day campaign on August 23 in Lancaster against the England Lionhearts, a national representative side from England's well-stocked amateur rugby league ranks.

Liban Espoir will then be heading to South Wales for a match against the Welsh President's XIII rugby team on August 26 at Bridgend's Brewery Field before travelling to Cardiff's magnificent Millennium Stadium as special guests of the English federation, the Rugby Football League, where they will be watching the cup finals among a crowd of 80,000.

"The team is bonding very well. I'm happy with the selected squad," says head coach Remond Safi. "At this stage we're stronger in the forwards, especially their combination with the halfbacks."

Safi, who has led the American University of Beirut's rugby team to Lebanon's championship final in his three seasons as a coach, is aware of the challenge that Espoir is facing. Espoir will be competing with the two national squads who will be in the middle of Britain's Amateur Four Nations tournament, along with Ireland and Scotland.

"We need to improve our appreciation of ball security and our collective organization in defence, which is a little naive," said the former South Sydney junior and Lebanese Army lieutenant. "Over the next month we intend to fine tune the squad until it's a well oiled machine, and we hope to give our opponents a good run for their money."

Lebanon's rugby league talent will complete their trip in the Bristol nine-a-side tournament on August 28. The tour will serve as a trial for full national team honours ahead of October's Mediterranean Cup, where Lebanon's elite Australian-based professionals in the defence of their title will join the local players.

The game at Powder House Lane is set to kick-off at 7.30pm.

Meanwhile, the eagerly anticipated Origin Game, postponed last month because of a mix-up with Morecambe's shirts takes place at Powder House Lane next Friday (August 12) with a 6.30pm kick-off. Vale season tickets are now on sale from the club's commercial office. Members pay £30, non-members prices are £40 with concessions priced at £15.