Dubai : The Arabian Gulf rugby team will disband in just over a year's time, and while that day is bound to trigger a wave of gloom across the region, it will pave the way for a group of resolute Emiratis to finally realise a long-term dream.
For five years, the Shaker brothers Mohammad, Yousuf and Mohanned, as well as many of their compatriots, have had to look on with envy at some of the finest expatriate amateur rugby players form the Arabian Gulf squad, hoping they would one day be as good as what they saw.
To say it's been a struggle would hardly be an exaggeration, as the group have found the task of retaining players just about as difficult as finding any. After all, diverting Emiratis away from their football is no mean feat.
Now gearing up for what will be their third Dubai Sevens, the team, playing under the name of TOA Dubai believe they are finally ready to put in a performance that would make people sit up and take notice of their ambition.
"We have been learning for two years, this year I hope we can do more," said Mohammad. "I think it's time for us to win something. If we get a good result, it will encourage more locals to get involved in the game and more eyes will be upon us," he added.
It's easy to understand both Mohammad's optimism and confidence as the lads are certainly not alone in their quest to become the UAE's first rugby national team. Renowned rugby coach John Mamea-Wilson and former Samoan dual-code international Apollo Perelini have willingly put their services at the team's disposal - at absolutely zero cost.
"Well it's their dream and it's our dream as well. We want to help them achieve it," said Perelini, the head rugby coach at Elite Sporting Academy, a Dubai-based project run by Wilson. "No one's really paid much interest to Emirati rugby, so why not? We should be looking after the local boys as this is their country. These guys will be future coaches for other Emiratis.
"As they get experienced, they are going to take over looking after the team. In five to six years time they will have a pure Emirati team that is coached, managed and played by just Emiratis. And that's what we're here for. We need to develop a core and then we'll help them to take it on to the next level," he added.
Both Wilson and Mohammad believe the journey towards their goal would undoubtedly accelerate given support from the new powers that be.
Wilson said: "We have managed to create a stable network through our own finances. But no one has the time to go to schools as we all have our full-time jobs. And that's something the new federation can look at doing as it has to start with kids."
