It's no coincidence that the number of cars lined up outside the entrance to the Al Ghazal Golf Club increases every year at the time of Abu Dhabi Harlequins' junior rugby tournament.
Such has been the yearly growth of the event now known as the Etihad Airways Junior Rugby Tournament that it is in fact the biggest youth rugby competition in the region – with more than 1,700 players aged from six to 18 taking part over two days.
The scenes witnessed tell you that this is more than just an opportunity for the young battlers to dazzle their parents with their developing rugby skills. You know the moment you take the shuttle bus from the car park to the venue, where families have their hands full with picnic baskets, folding chairs and mats. As you stroll past the four pitches, each teeming with some of the 4,000 spectators attending, you are left wondering why parents take the trouble to bring along chairs as they prefer standing on the touchlines.
One lady is sweating over the phone, trying to find out how far away her husband is as their son is playing in the team's last match of the tournament.
The under-14s and under-16s are already playing good quality rugby while the under-7s and under-8s never cease to amaze. Their incredible energy gives the referees some pretty good workouts.
At the tender age of nine, it's a question of who executes the basics the best. Dubai Exiles One did that consistently in their under-10 quarter-final match against Abu Dhabi Harlequins Two. The players held on to the ball as if their lives depended on it and scored six tries in a resounding 30-0 win. "They are just learning the importance of changing from a bunch of individuals to a team," said coach Denby Williams.
The number of matches played means the tournament runs on a tight schedule and not even a nasty sandstorm was able to bring play to a halt. Alastair Hardie was one of the hundreds of young competitors who battled on bravely when the storm hit. "[The sand] goes in your eyes a lot and the ball was going everywhere because of the wind. But it made every player feel we have to work a little harder," said the Dubai Exiles player after his team's hard-fought under-14 semi-final win over Dubai College.
Syrian story: Battered but not beaten
Damascus Zenobians from Syria may have left the Etihad Airways Junior Rugby Tournament without taking home any major trophies, but their participation itself is hailed as a victory by their coach and parents of the young players.
The team's situation leading up to the tournament was far from ideal following the recent US bombing of Syria which prompted the subsequent shutting of all American schools in the country.
However, coach Hani Al Hafez chose not to dwell on the negatives. "We were still going to come and with the same spirit," he said.
"Many of the guys are new to this game. They really love it and that's what it's all about, not winning or losing but just having fun."
Marlene Dupisani, mother of 12-year-old Tian, one of the team's players, said: "It's been really difficult, but they have been so enthusiastic in the last two weeks. They have never let the situation influence them."
Abu Dhabi Harlequins proved to be very good hosts indeed with parents opening their doors to accommodate the Damascus players in pairs over the tournament's duration.
"With that kind of community spirit, you hope you can expand this tournament to something bigger," said tournament director Nick Cowell.