Dubai: It is not their idea of baptism by fire, but when the aim is to play with the big boys of rugby, there really can't be any apprehensions about how tough the opponents are going to be. In the case of hosts UAE, they have to contend with the physical might of Fiji, Samoa and Argentina when they make their debut at the Emirates Airlines Dubai Rugby 7s on Friday and, according to coach Wayne Marsters, the focus is more on gaining top-level experience and using it on the next day for the Bowl and Shield competitions.
Speaking to XPRESS during training at the Jebel Ali Primary School ground, Marsters said: "It was quite a moment when the pools were announced. We were watching the Gold Coast 7s which incidentally was won by Fiji and the pools came up. Everybody was holding their breath and I kind of knew it we were going to be clubbed with them."
Not nervous
Marsters added that more than nervousness, it was excitement that was palpable among his boys. "The boys were excited, not nervous, when the pools came up. My logic is we might as well play against the top teams first up. We watched them at the Gold Coast 7s and so we know about the teams in our group, but they don't know about us. For all their physicality, there are other avenues we can exploit. We have the surprise element over them," he said.
The UAE coach admitted that he has had to make a few alterations to the composition of his squad to counter the big Fijians and Samoans. "I will probably go in with bigger backs and bigger forwards. Mind you, even Argentina are a superb defensive side. Point is we will take each game as it comes and as we go into the second day of competition where lesser places are at stake, we will try to make our presence felt," he said.
With the country making its debut on UAE's 40th National Day, it is no wonder that the two Emiratis in the team are overjoyed to be part of the action. Mohammad Rahma and Cyrus Homayoun have virtually arrived from nowhere to book places in the first team, having only been part of the UAE Shaheen side that played in the Goa 7s in recent times.
Twenty-four-year-old Rahma has been out of the game for nearly two-and-half years having suffered one torn cruciate ligament and two damaged meniscuses that led to four operations after becoming the first Emirati to play international representative rugby. "I was part of the Arabian Gulf squad in the lead-up to the 2008 World Cup Sevens, and made a try-scoring international debut in a preparatory tournament in Singapore. Then I got injured. It's been a long road back for me," he said. "I can't be more proud at being picked. This country has done so much for me and it's time for me to give back through my performance on the field."
Interestingly, Rahma took to surfing while he was in rehab. "One of the exercises during rehab was running in the water and that's how I took to surfing. Now I have the region's only surf shop and also a surf school," he said.
Homayoun, who, along with Ali Mohammad, was the first Emirati to play international XVs rugby earlier this year, believes the UAE are definitely in the hardest pool. "Look at the teams we will be playing against. It's the hardest pool for sure, but it's also very exciting. We have to be very physical in these encounters and make sure they don't overrun us," he said.
And like Rahma, the significance of the day is not lost on Homayoun. "I am honoured and privileged to be playing for the UAE and December 2 makes the occasion all that more special," he said.
