Summer is not a time generally associated with rugby union, yet across the UAE work is being done behind the scenes to prepare clubs for the season ahead.
That is certainly the case at Abu Dhabi Saracens, who are already two weeks into a gruelling fitness regime and have named a new head coach as Ali Thompson has stepped up from the playing ranks.
A former Abu Dhabi Harlequins player and coach, and ex-UAE captain, Thompson has signalled his intention to help continue the rapid growth Saracens have achieved since their inception in 2011.
Sport360°’s Martyn Thomas caught up with him to find out how he is settling into his new role.
How does it feel to get back into coaching?
So very excited to get back into it. The Saracens are an ambitious club, having played with them this year, I’m very excited to be a part of it with them as well.
How did the opportunity to become coach come about – did it take long to say yes?
I think there was always something inside of me that wanted to return to coaching. I would never say that I joined the Saracens to be their coach, but certainly my intentions during that first year as a player were to come back to rugby having retired and just enjoy playing again, with really not too much commitment. I managed to do that throughout last year and the opportunity arose and whilst in my head it was something I really wanted to do, the practicalities are something a little bit different.
I had to make sure my wife was supportive because she knows what I’m like and she knows it’s a big, big time commitment as well and sometimes it can be mentally and emotionally draining being the head coach of a rugby team.
But as I said the benefits always outweigh the challenges and it was just a matter of time. Though I am the head coach, it’s not all about me. It’s about the coaching team I have around me and it’s about the chairman, the president, the club captain and the players. The club are quite ambitious with the recruitment drive at the minute and all these things have impressed me.
So, it wasn’t a straight ‘yes’ because all these things had to fall in line first but they all have and I’m very, very excited to be on board.
Have you spoken to any of the players since accepting the role?
Yes, and that’s part of it. At Saracens we’re a relatively tight-knit group and talk to each other, it’s not just a matter of being part of a committee together, we tend to be friends off the field and chat to each other on a regular basis. So, we’ve had a couple of meetings and there’s another scheduled in the next couple of days.
These are the busy times of the season. A lot of people think rugby clubs are firing when the games are being played but they’re almost as busy in the off-season reflecting on past seasons and looking at how they can improve. Certainly as a young club with ambitions that the Saracens do, there is certainly lots to talk about and put in place.
Has being so close off the pitch helped in the growth the club has made?
Absolutely, it’s a rugby club and you’re bringing a group of individuals together. There’s always going to be conflicts but it’s about managing those conflicts and everybody working in the same direction more than anything else. There are a lot of friendships that have been generated but that’s the case at any rugby club all over the world. I’m not going to sit here and say I don’t have friends at the Harlequins because I’d like to think I’ve got lots of friends at Harlequins.
Me moving clubs and not being involved with them any more has nothing to do with friendship, the opportunity to play at Saracens came up last year and it was more convenient for me at that time, and I’ve enjoyed my time at the club.
But yes having friendships makes it a lot easier to commit to the time and when we were making decisions, and discussing things the fact that we know each other quite certainly helps us move in the same direction.
You’ve spoken about stepping out of Quins’ shadow – how can you do that?
I’ll be able to tell you more when I know who’s going to step out onto the field and represent us. We’re in a recruitment drive at the
moment, we’re looking some opportunities with players overseas possibly.
I firmly believe that if we step out of the shadow of the Harlequins then we are going to be in a great place to be one of the top clubs in the country because obviously they are the team to beat.
If we’re challenging the Quins then we’re challenging everybody. I think since the Saracens’ inception they have been the little brother and now would be a nice time to emerge from those shadows and become the top side in the city.
The team has been doing some intense fitness work over the past few weeks – how have you found that?
I’ll be 36 on the weekend and it certainly doesn’t get any easier. The morning after it seems to take a little longer to get moving again but I’ve really enjoyed it. I am probably going to play this year in some capacity. Whereas people around me are telling me I need to stop, it’s something I really enjoy.
But being out there on the training field with the boys, that’s where you develop camaraderie and teamwork and new players coming in get a sense of belonging.
You’ve been in the UAE seven years now. How has the game developed in that time?
Since I’ve been here there was a boom then a bust and it certainly seems to be on the rise again. The average age of the rugby player here since I began is much, much lower.
So you’re talking about younger players that have come from varying backgrounds of rugby but generally, the division has players that have played a very high level and that can only increase the standard.
If you look at the top teams in the Premiership there are ex-professional players scattered about that wasn’t the case seven years ago.
