Abu Dhabi: Mike Tindall, a 2003 Rugby Union World Cup winner, and David Campese, winner in 1991, have joined Peter Schmeichel’s team of Celebrity All-Stars for the 2017 Abu Dhabi Invitational.
Tindall, 38, had an illustrious career and was a stalwart in the England rugby team for over a decade. Winning 75 caps and starting every game during England’s victorious World Cup campaign in 2003, he is a true great of the modern game.
Campese, 54, is widely regarded as one of the greatest wingers the game has ever seen. ‘Campo’ bewitched defences and infuriated opponents the world over during a career that took in 101 international caps and 64 tries for Australia.
Joining them in Abu Dhabi will be Schalk Brits, one of the best players to come out of South Africa in recent years. Having represented South Africa at the 2015 World Cup when they finished third, Brits has also won the English Premiership and European Cup with English club Saracens.
The rugby trio will play alongside a number of legends from the world of sport — including Ruud Gullit, Dwight Yorke, James Anderson and Brian Lara — Schmeichel’s Celebrity team, against the 2014 Ryder Cup-winning captain Paul McGinley’s team of professional golfers.
With other big-name competitors from the worlds of golf, sport and entertainment including pop legend Ronan Keating, the event looks set to be an incredible occasion, organisers said on Monday.
This year’s event will comprise an Amateur Championship on Saturday, January 28 with invited sponsor and stakeholder guests, before the main Invitational on Sunday 29 January. Both days are open to the public.
The format for the Sunday Invitational will see 20 professionals and 20 celebrities paired with a VIP guest as the teams compete against each other in a Ryder Cup Fourball format.
Aref Hamad Al Awani, General Secretary of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council (ADSC), said: “We are thrilled to have two rugby greats of all time joining us at Yas Links for the Abu Dhabi Invitational this year.
“It is wonderful to be able to welcome new names to play at the Abu Dhabi Invitational. This year’s tournament promises to be a wonderful occasion at Yas Links, the best links course in the region and one of the best golf venues in the world.”
Howie Roberts, General Manager of Yas Links, is also eagerly anticipating the array of sporting superstars who’ll play in the event this year. “We are honoured to have Mike Tindall and David Campese here as we host the Abu Dhabi Invitational for a fifth time,” he said.
