The Dubai Dragons, in white, will have their own place when they host Muscat today.
The Dubai Dragons, in white, will have their own place when they host Muscat today.

Dragons have a home now



Home advantage is an odd concept for the majority of Dubai's rugby players.

Rugby fields have always been at a premium in the city, and before the start of this season all the city's leading clubs had shared the same venue. Meaning away games were usually no different to home games.

Dubai Dragons, however, broke with tradition at the start of this season, by moving from The Sevens to a new venue at the Jebel Ali Centre of Excellence.

When they host Muscat in the UAE Premiership this afternoon, the Dragons players will have a place they can call their own.

"I don't think it was healthy all the Dubai clubs playing their home games [at The Sevens]," Dan Heal, the Dragons captain, said. "Your away games are there as well, so every week you are going there. Jebel Ali is something new and exciting, and a good place to be."

Options have been thin since the old Dubai Exiles ground in Al Awir, and the neighbouring Country Club, were consumed by the Meydan project at the end of 2007.

The replacement rugby headquarters, The Sevens, immediately delivered on its promise of providing top-class facilities for sport.

However, members of the rugby community voiced concerns about the extra distance they would need to travel, with it being 20 minutes further into the desert than the former site.

The fears were unfounded, judging by the number of people still playing rugby here. Yet many clubs actively sought potential venues nearer to the city, with the Dragons this season becoming the first to make the move.

"The main driver for us was the distance," said Heal. "Travelling out there for training sessions two nights a week and a match on a Friday was asking a lot of the players.

"Most of our players live at the Marina end of Dubai, so their journey time has been cut in half, at least. The second driver was the fact we never really had a rugby club feeling. Now we have our own, small club-house with shirts and trophies up on the wall and a real rugby atmosphere after the game."

Heal says his club will also be better off financially at Jebel Ali, which also has a noted football academy that has played host to training camps for a variety of top football teams in the past.

The Hurricanes, their city rivals, recently penned a three-year deal with Emirates, the owners of The Sevens. As per the terms of the sponsorship, the airline will underwrite the cost of pitch hire at the ground, which could save the Hurricanes as much as Dh100,000 per season.

Such costs were too great for the Dragons to bear, hence their switch.

MIDWAY

Produced: Lionsgate Films, Shanghai Ryui Entertainment, Street Light Entertainment
Directed: Roland Emmerich
Cast: Ed Skrein, Woody Harrelson, Dennis Quaid, Aaron Eckhart, Luke Evans, Nick Jonas, Mandy Moore, Darren Criss
Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction

Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.

Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.

Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.

Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.

Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.

What are the guidelines?

Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.

Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.

Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.

Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.

Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.

Source: American Paediatric Association
FIXTURES

All times UAE ( 4 GMT)

Friday
Saint-Etienne v Montpellier (10.45pm)

Saturday
Monaco v Caen (7pm)
Amiens v Bordeaux (10pm)
Angers v Toulouse (10pm)
Metz v Dijon (10pm)
Nantes v Guingamp (10pm)
Rennes v Lille (10pm)

Sunday
Nice v Strasbourg (5pm)
Troyes v Lyon (7pm)
Marseille v Paris Saint-Germain (11pm)

2018 ICC World Twenty20 Asian Western Sub Regional Qualifier

Event info: The tournament in Kuwait is the first phase of the qualifying process for sides from Asia for the 2020 World T20 in Australia. The UAE must finish within the top three teams out of the six at the competition to advance to the Asia regional finals. Success at regional finals would mean progression to the World T20 Qualifier.

Teams: UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Maldives, Qatar

Friday fixtures: 9.30am (UAE time) - Kuwait v Maldives, Qatar v UAE; 3pm - Saudi Arabia v Bahrain

 

 

Film: In Syria
Dir: Philippe Van Leeuw
Starring: Hiam Abbass, Diamand Bo Abboud, Mohsen Abbas and Juliette Navis
Verdict: Four stars