Reputation of exporting high calibre rugby coaches adds silver lining to UAE’s heavy loss

Qais Al Dhalai, the secretary general of the UAE Rugby Federation, believes the departure of Roelof Kotze as UAE rugby performance manager should be regarded as a positive, writes Paul Radley.

UAE rugby performance manager Roelof Kotze, is leaving to start a new job with the Pumas, a provincial rugby side who play in the Currie Cup. Pawan Singh / The National

DUBAI // Having staff cherry-picked by some of the leading unions in rugby’s established countries shows UAE rugby is making “its mark on the worldwide rugby map”.

That is the view of Qais Al Dhalai, the secretary general of the UAE Rugby Federation, who believes the departure of Roelof Kotze as performance manager should be regarded as a positive.

A dinner was held in Dubai in the departing coach’s honour on Wednesday night, attended by the captains of the UAE’s representative sides, as well as board officials.

He will fly home to South Africa on Thursday, before starting a new job with the Pumas, a provincial rugby side who play in the Currie Cup.

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Eighteen months ago, Wayne Marsters left his role as UAE rugby manager to take up a job with Canterbury in New Zealand.

“We feel proud UAERF is exporting coaches of high calibre to the top rugby nations,” Al Dhalai said. “Wayne went to one of the leading unions in New Zealand, now Roelof is going to a professional rugby province in South Africa’s Currie Cup.

“The UAERF has set its mark on the worldwide rugby map. We are now a very well-known union, even though we are only six years old. We have the respect of the rugby fraternity and I am really proud of that.”

Apollo Perelini, the Dubai-based former Samoa international, has been placed in temporary charge for the remainder of the season.

The UAERF hope to be able to appoint Perelini permanently, but both parties want to see if it is possible for him to dovetail all of his commitments effectively. Perelini, who is the coach of the UAE Shaheen development programme for Emirati players, also runs his own independent skills academy.

“We want to utilise our current asset, which is Apollo,” Al Dhalai said. “He knows the players. The players know him. He has a healthy relationship with all players – expatriate and Emirati.” He added the ideal decision would be to utilise Apollo “until the end of the season”.

“By then the board of directors will have a better idea of whether to appoint Apollo in a more comprehensive role, or look for a replacement for Roelof.”

Kotze, who was the UAE’s third performance manager in six months when he was appointed at the turn of 2014, says he is leaving with a heavy heart, but that the time is right to move on.

“You do it for as long as you can and then at some stage you have to make a call, and I felt that this was now,” Kotze said.

“We have tried to put things in place so that, whether I’m here or not, things can carry on. The next guy can carry on the system, and hopefully improve on it.

“A lot of things we have done in the past two years are in good health. I’m trusting that whoever comes in in my place – either Apollo or whoever else – find they can move forward with it, rather than restart it. That is very important.”

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