When a group of mates fixed a date in their diaries back in 2013 for a reunion to honour a friend who had recently died, it was meant to be for one weekend only.
A chance to get together and share some memories, as well as dust off the boots and throw a rugby ball around at the Emirates Dubai Sevens.
Ten years on, the side they created has morphed into a highly successful globetrotting sevens outfit that includes Olympic medal winners among its number.
Speranza 22 will be back at the Sevens this weekend for its 10th anniversary, with three teams set to feature.
It was set up by a group of teammates from the Abu Dhabi Harlequins side who had won the 2009 Gulf Under-18 tournament in Dubai.
Marco Speranza, who was part of that side, died in an air crash in his native Argentina earlier in 2013.
His mates have done a fine job of maintaining his memory. As well as being regulars in Dubai, the side have also become fixtures at Melrose, Amsterdam, Denver and Bournemouth sevens.
In excess of 250 players have represented them in the past decade, including the players who won the first Sevens gold at the Olympics in Rio in 2016.
In the next Games, two of their players – Amanaki Nicole of New Zealand and Fiji's Jiuta Wainiqolo – played against each other in the gold-medal final.
None of which was planned.
“It was going to be a one-off in 2013,” said Rory Greene, the manager of the S22 side who had been the coach of the 2009 Quins U18s.
“Then for all the reasons we did it, getting together with Orlando Speranza [Marco’s father] and the family, we thought, ‘Why don’t we do it again,’ the following year.
“It has just organically grown from there. It is like everything in life. You look at it and think, ‘How on earth did we get to where we are now?’
“It is definitely not by design. We didn’t sit there and think, ‘Right, in 10 years’ time we are going to be entering all the big tournaments in the world’.”
The team created one of the great memories in the long history of the Sevens by winning the International Invitational tournament on Pitch 1 in 2017.
The Invitational is the second highest tier competition at Dubai Sevens, and was played before the World Series finals in front of a packed crowd.
And yet Ignacio Costa, a former schoolmate of Marco’s and one of the originals, does not regard it as his personal No 1 memory of the decade of Speranza 22.
“My most special memory is, and I believe will always be, the first year when all the original boys were able to come along,” said Costa, who is back for this weekend although unable to play due to injury.
“That year was by far the most emotional with Marco’s passing being so raw. We cried before and after every game.”
On the bus on the way to the venue ahead of their first match, Marco’s sister Nadia, addressed the players.
“She said she had brought some of Marco’s personal belongings with her to Dubai all the way from Argentina,” Costa said.
“She wasn’t sure why but she did. During the night she had a dream and Marco appeared to her. In the dream Marco had told her what items he wanted her to give out to us.
“We all seemed to get things that were related to our friendship with Marco. I remember getting an outfit that we had bought together in Malaysia. If we weren’t crying before that, we definitely were then.”
The mates made it to the brink of the final only to fall just short, yet even defeat brought happy memories.
We had actually played our last two minutes with Marco on the field. Another round of tears. That memory still gives me goosebumps.
Igancio Costa
“By the time Speranza was created most of our boys had stopped playing rugby or were playing socially somewhere,” Costa said.
“We made the semis that year and lost to the eventual champions by one try.
“Out of all the most memorable moments the one that made us cry even more was after the last whistle of our semis. We played the last two minutes with a player less as one of the boys, Jason [de Broize], got carded.
“In our post-match huddle, Adam [Hughes], one of our coaches, looks around and started telling us how that yellow card was Marco tapping Jason on the shoulder and telling him to get off as he wanted some gametime with us.
“We had actually played our last two minutes with Marco on the field. Another round of tears. That memory still gives me goosebumps.”
Notable cricketers and political careers
- India: Kirti Azad, Navjot Sidhu and Gautam Gambhir (rumoured)
- Pakistan: Imran Khan and Shahid Afridi (rumoured)
- Sri Lanka: Arjuna Ranatunga, Sanath Jayasuriya, Tillakaratne Dilshan (rumoured)
- Bangladesh (Mashrafe Mortaza)
Disposing of non-recycleable masks
Use your ‘black bag’ bin at home
Do not put them in a recycling bin
Take them home with you if there is no litter bin
- No need to bag the mask
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
The specs: 2017 Dodge Viper SRT
Price, base / as tested Dh460,000
Engine 8.4L V10
Transmission Six-speed manual
Power 645hp @ 6,200rpm
Torque 813Nm @ 5,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 16.8L / 100km
THREE
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
The specs
Price: From Dh180,000 (estimate)
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged and supercharged in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 320hp @ 5,700rpm
Torque: 400Nm @ 2,200rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 9.7L / 100km
A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
- 2018: Formal work begins
- November 2021: First 17 volumes launched
- November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
- October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
- November 2024: All 127 volumes completed
Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Brief scores:
England: 290 & 346
Sri Lanka: 336 & 243
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Western Clubs Champions League:
- Friday, Sep 8 - Abu Dhabi Harlequins v Bahrain
- Friday, Sep 15 – Kandy v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
- Friday, Sep 22 – Kandy v Bahrain
The story of Edge
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, established Edge in 2019.
It brought together 25 state-owned and independent companies specialising in weapons systems, cyber protection and electronic warfare.
Edge has an annual revenue of $5 billion and employs more than 12,000 people.
Some of the companies include Nimr, a maker of armoured vehicles, Caracal, which manufactures guns and ammunitions company, Lahab
Company profile
Date started: January, 2014
Founders: Mike Dawson, Varuna Singh, and Benita Rowe
Based: Dubai
Sector: Education technology
Size: Five employees
Investment: $100,000 from the ExpoLive Innovation Grant programme in 2018 and an initial $30,000 pre-seed investment from the Turn8 Accelerator in 2014. Most of the projects are government funded.
Partners/incubators: Turn8 Accelerator; In5 Innovation Centre; Expo Live Innovation Impact Grant Programme; Dubai Future Accelerators; FHI 360; VSO and Consult and Coach for a Cause (C3)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
Chef Nobu's advice for eating sushi
“One mistake people always make is adding extra wasabi. There is no need for this, because it should already be there between the rice and the fish.
“When eating nigiri, you must dip the fish – not the rice – in soy sauce, otherwise the rice will collapse. Also, don’t use too much soy sauce or it will make you thirsty. For sushi rolls, dip a little of the rice-covered roll lightly in soy sauce and eat in one bite.
“Chopsticks are acceptable, but really, I recommend using your fingers for sushi. Do use chopsticks for sashimi, though.
“The ginger should be eaten separately as a palette cleanser and used to clear the mouth when switching between different pieces of fish.”
Empire of Enchantment: The Story of Indian Magic
John Zubrzycki, Hurst Publishers
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Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
FIXTURES
Monday, January 28
Iran v Japan, Hazza bin Zayed Stadium (6pm)
Tuesday, January 29
UAEv Qatar, Mohamed Bin Zayed Stadium (6pm)
Friday, February 1
Final, Zayed Sports City Stadium (6pm)
La Mer lowdown
La Mer beach is open from 10am until midnight, daily, and is located in Jumeirah 1, well after Kite Beach. Some restaurants, like Cupagahwa, are open from 8am for breakfast; most others start at noon. At the time of writing, we noticed that signs for Vicolo, an Italian eatery, and Kaftan, a Turkish restaurant, indicated that these two restaurants will be open soon, most likely this month. Parking is available, as well as a Dh100 all-day valet option or a Dh50 valet service if you’re just stopping by for a few hours.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
The five pillars of Islam
SPECS
Engine: Two-litre four-cylinder turbo
Power: 235hp
Torque: 350Nm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Price: From Dh167,500 ($45,000)
On sale: Now
'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
