UAE rugby coach Apollo Perelini confident squad can hit the ground running against Israel

UAE rugby team coach Apollo Perelini is preparing his squad for a first-ever clash against Israel on Friday. Satish Kumar for The National

Apollo Perelini, the UAE coach, is confident his players are already attuned for competition following the challenges of the pandemic, ahead of their historic fixture against Israel.

The two countries will meet on the rugby field for the first time on Friday, when they play a programme of sevens fixtures at Dubai Sports City.

Coincidentally, the "friendship tour" will pit together sides from the two countries with the highest percentage of populations to have been vaccinated against the coronavirus.

Although the Israel contingent say they “have managed to maintain a Covid bubble right from the outset,” rugby in the UAE was paused for some months because of Covid safety measures.

Domestic rugby returned in recent weeks in a modified format, played without scrums and with other measures in place to limit the amount of contact.

Perelini’s charges have been training since January, including fitness sessions on the beach in Al Sufouh, to the point they were able to travel to a tournament in Egypt last month, where they finished third.

“We are very lucky that here in Dubai our leagues have started again, and we started training again back in January,” Perelini said.

“We were also able to go to Egypt for the Arab Sevens in February, and we have pretty much been training right throughout since the start of 2021.

“We are fortunate that we have been in the competitive league, playing 10-a-side rugby. It is not the normal type of rugby. It is a format that doesn’t have scrums, it only has lineouts.

“It is an exciting format that is very fast. So my players have been very much attuned to playing rugby, and are ready for playing a sevens tournament.”

Kevin Musikanth, Israel’s coach, said the whole of their tour party have been vaccinated, and they were even able to travel to South Africa for a training camp at the end of last year.

“We have managed to maintain a Covid bubble right from the outset,” Musikanth said.

“Our national squad has been working together as a unit. In December we went on a flight to South Africa for a training camp, also in a Covid bubble.

“We had been testing right the way through, from the moment we were able to start training together as a national team.

“So we have managed to stay fit and rugby ready, which is fantastic. All the players have been vaccinated, and most of the country as well.

“We are proud of that. Now, this a wonderful way to restart the competitive side of rugby, by being part of such a great event.”