Dubai : With the Arabian Gulf set to give way to independent rugby unions, the Dublin-based Taif Al Delamie as well as other players who represent non-UAE clubs are yet to find out what national team they will be turning out for in 2011. "That's still to be decided. I've spent a lot of time in Dubai so whether that means I qualify or not, it's yet to be seen," the Omani-Irish centre said. "The fact that Oman hasn't set up a rugby union, I may get exemption to play within the UAE. But it's all stuff we're still not sure of as there are still a lot of grey areas."
Coach Shane Thornton hoped the International Rugby Board (IRB) show flexibility in the case of such players. "The biggest thing I feel a bit sorry for is the players who still want to play here but are not allowed," he said. "It's hard for them to go back to Bahrain and Muscat because there's nothing there for them at international level.
"It will be nice if the IRB could change a few things in a way that since they have been playing for the Gulf for the last three or four years they could play for the UAE. It's a shame for them because they are going backwards instead of going forwards," added Thornton.
Dubai It's well-publicised by now that the Emirates Airlines Dubai Rugby Sevens, which kicks off tomorrow at The Sevens, marks the end of a long and eventful journey for the Arabian Gulf. And having had plenty of time to emotionally prepare themselves for the occasion, the players are now focused solely on ensuring the team departs on a respectable note before they can fully turn their attention to their own future.
Taif Al Delamie, the Omani-Irish centre has been handed the honour of leading the side in their final tournament, and he summed up the mood in the camp. "It's a big honour for me," he said, "But I'm just more focused on getting wins in this tournament. We want to perform well and not dwell on the fact that it's the last tournament. We want to compete and go out and cause a few upsets."
Low-key farewell
Al Delamie has already had a taste of one emotional farewell in an Arabian Gulf jersey when the 15s squad scripted a fairytale finale back in May upsetting fancied Korea in the Asian Five Nations. "The 15s was the big send-off," said the 24-year-old. "This is more low key. It's not as much on our minds. The 15s is a bigger group of people involved and it's been going on for a lot longer. So there was a lot more emotion involved in that." "Don't get me wrong, when this is over, we'll all miss it a lot. But we're professional enough just to focus on what's next and we'll see what happens afterwards," he added.
And talking about the task at hand, Al Delamie knows that the Gulf will have to put in every ounce of energy if they are to end on a high having been pooled with reigning World Cup Sevens champions Wales, reigning IRB Sevens Series winners Samoa, and Kenya. "If you're going to do it, we'll have to do it the hard way and we don't mind that," he said.
