The Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens kicks off today with 16 international men’s teams, 12 international women’s teams and 200 other teams of varying skill levels. That isn’t to say that beyond the main pitch there are not some diamonds to be found in the rough. One such team is the Gulf Legends, or perhaps more aptly named the “Gulf Leg Ends” by its founder Nigel Palmer, made up of past players from the Arabian Gulf Rugby Football Union (AGRFU).
The AGRFU, formerly an international rugby side comprising expat players from across the GCC, was disbanded in 2009-10 when sevens rugby became affiliated with the Olympics and national teams needed to be represented by players residing in their own country.
However, Mr Palmer had already formed the Gulf Legends to allow veteran AGRFU players to continue playing the sport they love.
“It’s like the Blues Brothers. I’m just trying to keep the band together so that we can play, have some fun and network on the business front too,” says Briton Mr Palmer, a security director who has lived in the Gulf for 18 years.
And that’s what makes this veterans team even more special because the majority of the members have lived in the region for more than 20 years, finding a camaraderie and kinsmanship that resonates beyond sport and into the business community.
“If you were to do a survey of all people who have played rugby in the region many are still here, more than those who don’t have a sporting or rugby connection,” says Jonathon Davidson, 40, a former AGRFU player, lawyer and chairman of the British Business Group. “I was originally recruited by one of the big law firms here and my boss took me up to the old Exiles ground on my first night,” he says. “I can list the guys that I met that evening. I still see them two or three times a month socially and we do business together; there must be seven or eight players that have a business connection and now socially through rugby.”
While Mr Davidson has lived in the region for 14 years, his teammates include lawyers, entrepreneurs, a vice-president at Majid Al Futtaim, and an Anantara hotel general manager who have shown a similar or even longer commitment to the Gulf.
Even Edward Hobart, Britain’s consul general to Dubai, has joined the side, helping out the team as water boy during the games.
The platform of sport has long been recognised by the UAE as way to build networks and a precursor to business. And this weekend’s sevens championship has a long history of corporate hospitality and social networking to support that.
“It’s the only local opportunity for companies to entertain guests over two days,” says Donal Kilalea, marketing and operations manager at Emirates Dubai Rugby Sevens. “Emirates is our title sponsor and Air BP our gold sponsor. They have their own corporate events and space, but there are between 200 to 300 smaller corporate tables which see business as their bedrock. As an event it is second to none, televised live for a full weekend in 145 countries. In the stadium we will see 12,000 people watching for free on Thursday, 40,000 on Friday and slightly less on Saturday.”
It means there will be just as much action off-pitch as on, with business representatives utilising the social occasion to cement business ties within and beyond the country.
“If any UK businesses are looking to do business in the UAE they do tend to rearrange their second or third fact-finding mission around the Sevens,” says Mr Davidson. “Once they have done a weekend at the Sevens, it’s like glue, they want to stay and can’t get away. Even at the Sevens you see people who you won’t see for the rest of the year because of the massive growth of the UAE. It’s basically a huge sort of networking event and we see it as a springboard for reconnecting relationships.”
This is certainly the case for Mr Palmer’s team, which competes in the international veterans category, playing against former international players from England, Australia, Fiji and the All Blacks.
“This year’s squad of 15 features 11 former AGRFU international players, four of whom captained their country,” adds Mr Palmer, 50, who no longer plays himself. “The side has over 100 full international caps between us. The boys come from far and wide to represent The Legends and we have a large following both on and off the field, as there are a good many former players still in the GCC.”
So how does he think his team will fare?
“We are now too old, too slow, too fat or too long in the tooth so I’m confident we’re going to get hammered,” he laughs. “If we make it to the bowl semi-final on Saturday, we will be over the moon.”
ascott@thenational.ae