Dubai: The UAE Rugby sevens squad are gearing up for next weekend's Borneo Sevens event, but with the IRB Rugby World Cup currently on, you could forgive the playing trio of Ryno Fourie, Chris Gregory and Luke Mohring as well as team manager Sean Hurley for having one eye on the showpiece in New Zealand.
Fourie, Gregory, Mohring and Hurley hail from the four rugby powerhouses namely South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia, respectively.
And while the subject of the World Cup leads them to excitedly talk about their home country's chances of glory, they are just as thrilled to be playing a part in helping UAE Rugby realise its own lofty ambitions. "We're extremely lucky enough to be playing international rugby," said Hurley who represented the UAE 15s squad in this year's Asian 5 Nations event. "I've been part of it for about seven years and we're extremely grateful and we do put a lot of hard work into it. But this is our adopted country, and when we train and when we play, we play with the passion of our own countries."
Englishman Gregory who first came to the Emirates when he was just nine-months old believes the World Cup can serve to inspire the UAE squad as they march along their own developmental path. "It's fantastic to see the development and it gives us and especially the locals in the UAE something to aim at," said the 31-year-old Dubai Hurricanes player. "You've not got just your elite four-five teams. Those teams are going to shine again, your Australias, New Zealands, Englands and South Africas, but these [other] teams are coming through and Japan have shown what they can do in the last four years."
Gregory was emphatic in describing the emotions of representing the UAE while also keeping tabs on Martin Johnson's England side who ran out unconvincing 13-9 winners over Argentina in their World Cup opener. "I much prefer to be playing rugby than watching it. So if that means playing for the UAE I don't care about England," he said.
South African Fourie was relieved to see his country begin their title defense with a 17-16 win in a closely fought tussle with Wales. "It was never going to be an easy game but then again we had a lot of experience in the team," said the 29-year-old who is enjoying his own time on the international stage. "It's always an honour to play for any country I believe. It doesn't matter which nationality you belong to. At the end of the day, it's an even greater privilege to have a mix of players getting together and have an opportunity to play for a national team. Also it's always nice to get new guys like the locals from here to teach them something, for them to teach us something and just bond as a multi-national team."
Mohring might be following eternal World Cup favourites New Zealand with great interest but explains why he cares just as much about the Emirates as his country of origin. "I was born in Dubai so it's kind of playing for my country as well," said the Dubai Exiles player. "But it's about bringing the culture that I'm used to in New Zealand into Dubai."
Who are the Emiratis rooting for?
Yousuf Shaker is one of four Emiratis in the UAE squad and he says they have been following the World Cup with as much interest as their expatriate teammates. "Every player chooses one team and focuses on one player. I am supporting Japan because they are an Asian team," said the 24-year-old.
