DUBAI // Not content with already being the most star-laden side playing in the Emirates League, Transguard Toa Dubai will call in more heavy hitters, when they play in a fund-raising sevens match in London tomorrow.
Toa will form the core of - and provide the colours for - a Samoan Legends side to play against a London invitational team at London Welsh's Old Deer Park ground near the banks of the River Thames.
Apollo Perelini, their player-coach, John Mamea-Wilson, the captain, and Trevor Leota, Toa's former Wasps hooker, will be joined by fellow Samoan Test players, such as Junior Paramore.
The Dubai side's ranks will be further supplemented by a variety of Polynesian players from England's Super League, which is the top level of rugby league in the United Kingdom.
Seven days on from being on opposing sides in rugby league's Grand Final, Ali Lauitiiti, of Leeds Rhinos, and the St Helens players Francis Meli and Maurie Fa'asavali will cross codes and line up in an abridged game for Toa.
The fixture is being staged to promote the "Help us to rebuild paradise appeal", with the mission of raising awareness of the victims of the recent tsunami that devastated parts of Samoa.
It is the second part of a cross-continent double header, the first half of which came in the form of a touch rugby tournament at The Sevens in Dubai last weekend.
The tsunami relief fund will also be granted 25 per cent of the gate receipts for the ensuing Championship match between the London Welsh side and the Cornish Pirates.
"With so many rugby league players in our team, I just hope they all remember the rules," said Mamea-Wilson.
"The cause we are playing for is likely to pull at the heartstrings of Antipodeans living in London as they know what life is like in Samoa."
The touring players from Dubai are likely to have weary limbs.
Toa were in action in the Gulf Bowl last night against the Dubai Hurricanes second XV. In the recently renamed Danway Gulf Cup, the top tier of competition, this weekend, Muscat face a tough task in arresting their early season struggles.
They host the Premiership champions, Abu Dhabi Harlequins, who are undefeated in the top division this season and who are gunning for success in all competitions.
Dubai Dragons, who also retain a 100 per cent record in the Premiership, host Doha at The Sevens this afternoon.
COMPANY PROFILE
● Company: Bidzi
● Started: 2024
● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid
● Based: Dubai, UAE
● Industry: M&A
● Funding size: Bootstrapped
● No of employees: Nine
Stage 2 results
1 Caleb Ewan (AUS) Lotto Soudal 04:18:18
2 Sam Bennett (IRL) Deceuninck-QuickStep 00:00:02
3 Arnaud Demare (FRA) Groupama-FDJ 00:00:04
4 Diego Ulissi (ITA) UAE Team Emirates
5 Rick Zabel (GER) Israel Start-Up Nation
General Classification
1 Caleb Ewan (AUS) Lotto Soudal 07:47:19
2 Sam Bennett (IRL) Deceuninck-QuickStep 00:00:12
3 Arnaud Demare (FRA) Groupama-FDJ 00:00:16
4 Nikolai Cherkasov (RUS) Gazprom-Rusvelo 00:00:17
5 Alexey Lutsensko (KAZ) Astana Pro Team 00:00:19
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MATCH INFO
Manchester City 3 (Sterling 46', De Bruyne 65', Gundogan 70')
Aston Villa 0
Red card: Fernandinho (Manchester City)
Man of the Match: Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)
The Disaster Artist
Director: James Franco
Starring: James Franco, Dave Franco, Seth Rogan
Four stars
Roger Federer's 2018 record
Australian Open Champion
Rotterdam Champion
Indian Wells Runner-up
Miami Second round
Stuttgart Champion
Halle Runner-up
Wimbledon Quarter-finals
Cincinnati Runner-up
US Open Fourth round
Shanghai Semi-finals
Basel Champion
Paris Masters Semi-finals
Company%20profile
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
Martin Sabbagh profile
Job: CEO JCDecaux Middle East
In the role: Since January 2015
Lives: In the UAE
Background: M&A, investment banking
Studied: Corporate finance
Expert input
If you had all the money in the world, what’s the one sneaker you would buy or create?
“There are a few shoes that have ‘grail’ status for me. But the one I have always wanted is the Nike x Patta x Parra Air Max 1 - Cherrywood. To get a pair in my size brand new is would cost me between Dh8,000 and Dh 10,000.” Jack Brett
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Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software
Publisher: Activision
Console: PlayStation 4 & 5, Windows, Xbox One & Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5