Dubai: Expatriate oil workers tasked with spreading rugby to a nation of devout football lovers. Sound familiar?
If the UAE Rugby Association needed a better case study on which to base their development, they should look no further than the Nigerian teams on display in the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens, which kicked off Thursday.
CMB Building Maintenance, from Lagos, beat Pakistan's Lahore 47-0 in their opening International Open Men's Pool match with a side made up entirely of nationals. Meanwhile the UAE RA, just one year old, makes its Sevens World Series debut Saturday with just two Emiratis in the squad.
Cowrie RFC, as the African team is better known, was only founded in 2005 to develop the game and empower local youths, but within such time they've played in three Dubai Sevens events and twice made the quarter-finals of their IOM category. That's something they are looking to surpass this year despite the prospect of having to overcome their own national team The Black Stallions to get there.
Dele Coker, team manager and founder, said: "All our boys are very much local and have come through our youth system hoping to prove themselves at this year's event. I absolutely believe the UAE could take something from the example of how African nations have suddenly spread the sport."
See Friday's Gulf News for the full story.
