DUBAI The first Pan Emirate Schools Rugby Tournament evoked great response with 86 boys from six schools competing in the Dubai Sports City’s Indoor arena.
The six-a-side Touch Rugby format, organised by UAE Rugby Federation (UAERF), saw schools from Dubai, Sharjah, Kalba, Fujairah, Umm Al Quwain and Ras Al Khaimah participate in the one-day tournament.
“It was successful and we will definitely have end of season one day festivals in future. We will however in future play a league throughout the season where everybody gets the opportunity to play each other twice in a season at other venues,” said Rugby development manager Ben van Rooyen.
Prepare them
Prior to the tournament, UAERF development officers visited all six schools and offered their expertise to prepare them for the tournament. Each training session was overseen by van Rooyen to ensure all regions were making equal progress.
“In April, UAERF development officers trained six coaches to implement the World Rugby ‘Get Into Rugby’ programme across six regions,” said Rooyen. “Each region was provided with the necessary equipment and the coaches’ training was conducted in Arabic by the Federation’s RDOs Sami Smara and Walid Naouali,” he added.
Noting that this was an important step towards developing the sport at the grassroot level, Rooyen said: “That is a part of our strategic plan. These boys are the foundation of an extended training group for the selection of an U-18 team for next year. Apart from establishing a league for the teams, development officers will also organise clinics with the players throughout the season to ensure players are coached in a technically uniform manner,” he said.
UAE Rugby Federation secretary general Qais Al Dhalai said: “This project is in collaboration with the UAE Ministry of Education and World Rugby’s Get Into Rugby programme. We are thrilled with the amount of enthusiasm among the players and coaches. This is the first time that an inter-Emirate rugby tournament has been played and we are especially honoured by the recognition of the UAE Olympic Committee and its Secretary General Mohammad Al Kamali.”
