Dubai: Only at the Dubai Sevens. A female Switzerland-based referee is in the middle for a game between the Welsh speaking team Urdd Gobaith Cymru and a squad from the Malay community in Cape Town brought here by an enthusiastic UAE national.
Wael Al Sayegh, the managing director of human resources consultants Al Babal Sharqi, grew to love rugby thanks to years spent studying in Scotland.
And he used his business connections in South Africa to bring over the mainly Muslim squad which has taken his company's name in the international under-19 tournament.
He said: "We work in the area of Arab cultural communications, acting as 'cultural coaches' to companies wanting to do business in the UAE.
"We're trying to encourage people of different cultures to mix and now we're hoping to do the same thing through sport.
"It's the first time many of the players have left Cape Town, let alone fly and play in front of large crowds.
"We've been working on this for two years so it's a dream come true. "I would love to see more UAE nationals playing rugby and my ultimate aim is to somehow contribute to that."
Al Bab Al Sharqi made a great start to the tournament with a win over Dubai College before losing to holders Urdd.
They then beat Abu Dhabi 38-0 as pool play continued.
