Dubai: As the traditional founders of this 42-year-old annual sevens tournament, the UAE's oldest club — the Dubai Exiles — remain the side to beat with a record ten Gulf Men's League titles to their name.
Formed from expatriate oil and armed forces workers, the club grew the competition and the sport, courting major sponsors as well as IRB sanctioning until it moved from the now demolished venue in Al Aweer to the Sevens Stadium and turned into a stage on the World Series.
Having lost in last year's final to Barrelhouse Yobs after beating Hurricanes in the semis, the grandfathers of local rugby now aim to go one better despite the burgeoning growth of teams around them and the relative demise of their own stature compared to yester-year.
Speaking of the monster event Exiles created, captain Mike Cox Hill said: "It's Exiles versus the world as usual. Everybody wants to beat us because of the history and the heritage of the club.
"It's good because this aggression and tempo against us can work in our favour. It gives us internal motivation and a power-push to go ahead. We've a good blend of workhorses, playmakers and speed this year, so we fancy our chances.
"We've been there or thereabouts in recent years but you never go in thinking you can win it from the start. You set it as a benchmark and look to achieve it.
"It can go to any good, solid side playing and training well. Abu Dhabi have been doing well and Jebel Ali Dragons won the recent tri-series, so they are probably the favourites.
Avoiding injuries
"We have to avoid injuries, build into form and play what we're given in the quarters, semis and final. We can focus on the end result from the outset, we just have to get an insight into what the other teams are doing, play our own style, work the patterns and plays."
James Ham, coach of the Hurricanes, Dubai's other club, who got to the final the year before last, said: "Everyone wants to beat Exiles. They stand there wanting to be the team to be hit down every year so we're quite happy to oblige. But in terms of ability, Jebel Ali Dragons is the team to beat. So if we meet either of them in the final it will be a good day."
