The UAE Rugby Federation (UAERF) are set to host a brand new international sevens tournament at the end of the year, and hope it will help improve standards in the region.
UAERF secretary general Qais Al Dhalai revealed plans yesterday that would see eight teams – four each from the Asian Rugby Football Union (ARFU) and Confederation of African Rugby (CAR) – compete at 7he Sevens.
Provisionally titled the ARFU Asian Rugby Sevens Tournament, the competition has the backing of the Dubai Sports Council (DSC).
The idea was also discussed with ARFU president Trevor Gregory during his recent visit to the UAE.
“The concept of the sevens tournament is to have four teams from Asia and four teams from Africa,” Al Dhalai told Sport360°.
“We have to get the endorsement from ARFU, from CAR and then from the IRB. It is the first tournament of its kind.
“It is something that everybody will support because the only wayforward to develop those nations is to give them more chance to play rugby.”
As yet it has not been decided exactly when the tournament will be contested, or by which teams.
The UAERF has a slot on the ARFU schedule – the weekend of October 31 – for a West Asia sevens tournament that could be used to accommodate the new two-day competition. But the governing body is also considering dates in the weeks following the Dubai Sevens, either on December 12 or 19.
However, it is unlikely regional powerhouses such as Japan, Hong Kong and Kenya will be in town as the focus is on developing nations.
“We will go for teams around the UAE’s level,” Al Dhalai revealed. “We will not go to Japan or to Hong Kong. Our aim is to develop the game and we want to develop the game at our standard.”
